Jan. 20, 2026, 7:00 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
One of the hypothetical ways the Cincinnati Bengals<\/a> could have gone this offseason if they started over with a fresh coaching staff was to roll with a defensive-minded head coach.\u00a0<\/p>\n It was a theory with some merit: Get a defensive culture-reset under a new head coach to help repair one of the league\u2019s worst units while pairing Joe Burrow with a new offensive coordinator he really likes.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s something the Tennessee Titans just opted for while finally closing the door on the Brian Callahan era by hiring Robert Saleh:<\/p>\n RELATED:Bengals draft outlook: The last 10 picks at No. 10 overall<\/a><\/p>\n We\u2019ll see how it works out in Tennessee after the Zac Taylor understudy Callahan couldn’t make it work with a No. 1 passer of his own.\u00a0<\/p>\n Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a><\/p>\n Despite a staggering 10 head-coach openings this offseason, the Bengals<\/a> instead chose to run it back around the Burrow-led trio with Taylor at head coach. All involved believe that better injury luck and a better cohesion between coaching staff and player personnel department can get things back on track.\u00a0<\/p>\n On paper, it could work, of course. But also (again, on paper), it could backfire, and we might be right back to this conversation in one year\u2019s time\u00a0<\/p>\n