What’s Zac Taylor Worth Without Joe Burrow?

Photo Credit: Dylan Buell, Getty Image

Every elite coach has an elite quarterback. Bill Belichick had Tom Brady. Andy Reid has Patrick Mahomes. Bill Walsh had Joe Montana and Steve Young. The list goes on. But are any of these coaches' records without their elite QB as bad as Zac Taylor’s? 

Taylor’s record without Joe Burrow is 4-28-1. That’s a win percentage of 12.5%. The Belichick or Brady debate for who is responsible for the 20-year dynasty is still under discussion, but Brady seems to be winning that argument. Belichick has never won anything before Brady or after, and his record this season with the New England Patriots is 2-9. 

Bill Walsh was credited with shaping Dan Fouts of the Chargers and Ken Anderson of the Bengals, so he’s had success elsewhere. Andy Reid never won a Super Bowl with Donovan McNabb under center in Philly, but he made multiple deep playoff runs. Zac Taylor can’t seem to win a game without Burrow. While Taylor’s QBs aren’t nearly as good as what these other coaches have, winning games only 12.5% of the time without your star-studded QB is an issue. 

The Cincinnati Bengals’ 2023 campaign is likely over after Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury in Week 11 against the Ravens on Thursday night. 

The Bengals’ offense is one of the more electric ones in the NFL when Burrow is under center. Without him, the Bengals struggle to score at all. The Bengals are 2-6 without Burrow playing. They average 15.5 points per game, 253.6 yards per game and 1.8 touchdowns per game in those eight games. 

Should all of the blame be put on Taylor for his record without Burrow, but that’s what comes with the job; head coaches get blamed when things aren’t going well and Taylor will get heat for this if it translates into games when Burrow is playing – kind of like this season.