NFL Coach of the Year 2021: 5 best candidates after regular season
![NFL: Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers talks with quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 on the sidelines during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) NFL: Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers talks with quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 on the sidelines during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/70dccddd364d2feb2bfa1defeab3dc4423e77213c2fd2cfb9df19a0b0710953b.jpg)
Scouting Report. Head Coach. Cincinnati Bengals. 4. player. Pick Analysis. Zac Taylor. 56
Who dey? He dey. He is the coach who got Cincinnati back into the NFL postseason as AFC North Champs for the first time since 2015. That would be Zac Taylor, and given Cincinnati’s breakout season, he deserves his props, considering he has also never won the Coach of the Year award. Having Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase doesn’t hurt either.
Taylor recorded just six wins in his first two years in Cincinnati. Also, he faced being on the hot seat several times, but all that changed. Taylor helped Cincinnati earn their first winning season since 2015 after beating Baltimore in Week 16 before knocking off Kansas City in a wild battle to finish the job, at least the regular-season job.
However, he is still facing the history of the Bengals, who have not won a playoff game in ever so long. His predecessor, Marvin Lewis, had a history of coming up short in the postseason and constantly being reminded about it by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
However, that moniker can change if Cincinnati wins their opening playoff game. For now, he’s won them a division title, which is a good start.