The Cincinnati Bengals are running it back with Zac Taylor.

Despite another disappointing season, Taylor is returning as head coach and Duke Tobin will be back as the director of player personnel in 2026, the team announced Monday.

“Our focus is on building a team that can consistently compete at the highest level, with the goal of winning championships,” owner Mike Brown said in a statement. “After thoughtful consideration, I am confident that Duke Tobin and Zac Taylor are the right leaders to guide us forward.”

The Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl after the 2021 season and to the AFC Championship Game a year later, but they have missed the playoffs three years in a row, including a 2025 campaign in which they finished 6-11.

Star quarterback Joe Burrow missed nine games this season due to a toe injury that required surgery. Cincinnati went 5-3 in his starts, compared to 1-8 without him.

Overall, Taylor is 52-63-1 in seven seasons as the Bengals’ head coach, but 2025 marked the first time in five years that Cincinnati finished without a winning record.

“I’m very confident in our coaching staff,” Burrow said after Sunday’s 20-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns. “I know those guys work really hard to put us in good positions and I always feel well prepared and put in the best spot to succeed.”

Tobin, the Bengals’ top executive, has been the director of player personnel since 2002 and is 185-199-4 in the role.

The retention of Taylor and Tobin kicks off a compelling offseason for Cincinnati, which has star talent in place with Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins but that has struggled along the offensive line and on defense for years.

Last month, Burrow made cryptic comments that prompted speculation about his future, including asking, “If it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for?”

Burrow later said he expected to “be playing for a long time” and that he couldn’t envision himself with a different team in 2026.

But when he was asked if he’s considered the possibility of playing for a team other than the Bengals at some point in the future, Burrow replied, “You think about a lot of things.”

Even with the return of Taylor, the AFC North will look different in 2026. On Monday, the Browns fired two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski after six seasons, including back-to-back last-place finishes.