Could any previous Bengals coach get this done under Mike Brown?  The only one that I think would have had a chance was Marvin, and don't think he could have.  I was not a fan of the Taylor hire, but  Zac is responsible for a lot of the culture change for the Bengals.  He's a player's coach, he's developed a family atmosphere, and he seems to legitimately care about the players, the fans, and the organization itself.  Did he luck out with getting Burrow, Higgings, and Chase?  Yes.  Would those three have a super bowl if they were together on the Chiefs or Steelers?  Probably.  He has fostered a culture where these guys want to stay together and that says a lot.  You can tell the players appreciate and respect him.  They seem to go to bat for him.  There is a ton that he can improve on; slow starts, position coach loyalty, the draft, to name a few.  Some out of his control, I would imagine.  I can only name one guy that, character wise, has blown up on him.  Burton.  

A lot of credit has to be given to the Brown family as well.  They have allowed Zac to modernize the Bengals, to an extent, and you can see honest efforts in they way are doing things in comparison to the past.  

Will it all work out?  I still have my doubts as there are a ton of holes to fill.  At least we have a shot now.

Zack has nothing to do with it.

Bengals fans should be thanking Tee, Jamar, Burrow, and their agent.

They basically heald the Bengals hostage into giving them no choice to sign them. Burrow was applying public pressure, Jamar said im not signing here if you don't sign Tee as well. The front office had no choice.

(03-17-2025, 09:55 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Zack has nothing to do with it.

Bengals fans should be thanking Tee, Jamar, Burrow, and their agent.

They basically strongarmed the Bengals into giving them no choice to sign them. Burrow was applying public pressure, Jamar said im not signing here if you don't sign Tee as well. The front office had no choice.

I disagree.  This doesn't happen without Zac and the culture he's brought.  

Bengals hand was forced by Jamarr's all or no one Agent threat... 

Zac and Tobin don't have much control. 

(03-17-2025, 09:59 AM)rupethereitis Wrote: I disagree.  This doesn't happen without Zac and the culture he's brought.  

Not really sure what "the culture" has to do with this. 

(03-17-2025, 09:59 AM)jj22 Wrote: Bengals hand was forced by Jamarr's all or no one Agent threat... 

Zac and Tobin don't have much control. 

Tobin saw the writing on the wall and submitted, basically what his press conference was all about at the combine. 

He said "**** it, im out" and basically put it all on Katie and Troy to get the deals done lol 

(03-17-2025, 10:03 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Not really sure what "the culture" has to do with this. 

I've seen plenty of great players in the Bengals past bolt for the door when they had a chance.  If this was under any previous Bengals coach, I believe they are gone and they strong arm the Bengals to get out of town.  Instead they strong armed the Bengals to stay together.   That is a culture change.   

(03-17-2025, 10:09 AM)rupethereitis Wrote: I've seen plenty of great players in the Bengals past bolt for the door when they had a chance.  If this was under any previous Bengals coach, I believe they are gone and they strong arm the Bengals to get out of town.  Instead they strong armed the Bengals to stay together.   That is a culture change.   

Did Zac create the culture, or did Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase create the culture?

I remember that, in 2019 and a lot of 2020, the veterans on the team had big problems with how Zac was running the team. He did himself no favors by benching Andy Dalton on his birthday in 2019, just in time to not be able to trade him, and then releasing him after the draft when Joe Burrow was drafted (after free agency was over and most of the starting roles were set in stone across the league)

Then Carlos Dunlap's demotion and subsequent media engagement about the arguments.

You could argue some of this was above Zac's head, but this article references moments in real time that Zac did to alienate players on his team, in team meetings and the like.

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/zac-taylor-bengals-culture-problem

Winning heals many wounds though, and that winning has a lot to do with what Joe and Ja'Marr (and Tee) built with this offense.

I don't dislike Zac Taylor or think he should be fired. But I also don't think he was the catalyst to making this team what it is today. I think he's a perfectly average head coach who happens to have an elite QB and WR trio.

This all has to do with Burrow and keeping him happy.

That said, I'm happy keeping these guys, but to compete for a SB...I'm not sure this is a great move.

(03-17-2025, 09:55 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Zack has nothing to do with it.

Bengals fans should be thanking Tee, Jamar, Burrow, and their agent.

They basically heald the Bengals hostage into giving them no choice to sign them. Burrow was applying public pressure, Jamar said im not signing here if you don't sign Tee as well. The front office had no choice.

Anybody that thinks Chase would not have signed that contract without Tee is just silly. He might have beem mad, but he would not walk away from that contract and Burrow.

(03-17-2025, 10:32 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Anybody that thinks Chase would not have signed that contract without Tee is just silly. He might have beem mad, but he would not walk away from that contract and Burrow.

I agree.

(03-17-2025, 10:32 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Anybody that thinks Chase would not have signed that contract without Tee is just silly. He might have beem mad, but he would not walk away from that contract and Burrow.

Carson Palmer would beg to differ.  

Burrow simply forced ownership's hand

(03-17-2025, 10:21 AM)CJD Wrote: Did Zac create the culture, or did Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase create the culture?

I remember that, in 2019 and a lot of 2020, the veterans on the team had big problems with how Zac was running the team. He did himself no favors by benching Andy Dalton on his birthday in 2019, just in time to not be able to trade him, and then releasing him after the draft when Joe Burrow was drafted (after free agency was over and most of the starting roles were set in stone across the league)

Then Carlos Dunlap's demotion and subsequent media engagement about the arguments.

You could argue some of this was above Zac's head, but this article references moments in real time that Zac did to alienate players on his team, in team meetings and the like.

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/zac-taylor-bengals-culture-problem

Winning heals many wounds though, and that winning has a lot to do with what Joe and Ja'Marr (and Tee) built with this offense.

I don't dislike Zac Taylor or think he should be fired. But I also don't think he was the catalyst to making this team what it is today. I think he's a perfectly average head coach who happens to have an elite QB and WR trio.

That is a valid point.  But were those players a part of the negative culture that he was determined to change?  Sure winning has a lot to do with Joe, Ja'Marr and Tee.   Winning was happening with Palmer, Housh, and Ocho.   Then the tires fell off.  Zach has to be given some credit here.

(03-17-2025, 09:55 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Zack has nothing to do with it.

Bengals fans should be thanking Tee, Jamar, Burrow, and their agent.

They basically heald the Bengals hostage into giving them no choice to sign them. Burrow was applying public pressure, Jamar said im not signing here if you don't sign Tee as well. The front office had no choice.

Thanks to Joe for being the highest paid player in the NFL when he signed his contract

Thanks to jaMarr for being the highest paid non-QB in the NFL

Thanks to Tee for signing a contract that makes him the highest paid #2 Wr in the NFL

Those 3 really bent over backwards to make it happen

(03-17-2025, 10:32 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Anybody that thinks Chase would not have signed that contract without Tee is just silly. He might have beem mad, but he would not walk away from that contract and Burrow.

I'm not giving Chase a pass. He was in on the scheme to strong arm the FO to signing Tee too. Players hide behind their agents, but Chase I'm sure was down for the cause. 

(03-17-2025, 11:08 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Thanks to Joe for being the highest paid player in the NFL when he signed his contract

Thanks to jaMarr for being the highest paid non-QB in the NFL

Thanks to Tee for signing a contract that makes him the highest paid #2 Wr in the NFL

Those 3 really bent over backwards to make it happen

Haha. Yes. So much for the 'They'll take less to be part of this team' narrative that was out there.

For the money they just got paid, they would have signed with the Panthers or Titans lol.

(03-17-2025, 11:08 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Thanks to Joe for being the highest paid player in the NFL when he signed his contract

Thanks to jaMarr for being the highest paid non-QB in the NFL

Thanks to Tee for signing a contract that makes him the highest paid #2 Wr in the NFL

Those 3 really bent over backwards to make it happen

Don’t forget to thank their agents who kept them together out of kindness and not because of the huge cut of the $ they are getting.

They all got what they wanted but now the pressures on them to win big. Even if the defense and/or O line stinks it doesnt matter. They made sure they were the highest paid which restricts the teams ability to add FAs.
It’s all on them now…

Ha! If that foolishness was the case, he is to blame for not getting it done last year