In Zac Ted Trusts, And So Should You
Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
The evolution of the NFL training camp has been no small change. Long gone are the days of players furiously refusing water breaks as they gritted their teeth through violent two-a-day practices. In their place exist sports science-filled practices and health-management-focused workouts. Today’s camps more resemble an Ashram than they do the exhausting preseason sessions your dad remembers.
While the old-timers at your local coffee shop curse the changes and pine for the days in which they had to walk uphill from both directions, the smart fans know that in the NFL, you don’t get to create the game. You just have to be the best at playing it.
This is where many football arguments stall. Old-school mentality yelling at new school clouds, with neither side moving. With training camp underway, August’s activities are under the microscope as a flashpoint for arguments among Bengals fans. That’s going to happen when key preseason injuries and slow starts sabotage Super Bowl hopes.
As hard as it might be for the black-and-white game film guys to grasp, the modern training camp seems to be another place Bengals’ King of Culture, Zac Taylor, is succeeding. Taylor’s reputation as a guy who is constantly succeeding with the modern athlete was put on full display when Ted Karass, who joined Cincinnati in 2022 after a long career primarily with the New England Patriots, spoke with the media.
“Zac is the ultimate scheduler, ultimate player-friendly [coach], but the guy has found a way to balance that with high-performance winning football, and I appreciate that because I’m the oldest guy on the team,” said the veteran guard. “I think we’ve incorporated a lot of science and the season isn’t getting any shorter. The goal is to play to February and I appreciate that as a veteran player.”
It’s good anytime a player feels like they have a coach who really understands and supports them, but when someone who has been in the league as long as Karras is saying it, that drives the affirmation home further. Despite Taylor seemingly doing everything right on and off the field and in the community, there has still been a section of fans furious at his off-season approach. They blame the team’s slow starts on Taylor’s unwillingness to play starters in the preseason, and his camp tactics have come under scrutiny.
Maybe hearing the positives of Taylor’s way of doing things from a two-time Super Bowl champion should quell these criticisms, but sadly, they’ll likely rage on. Unless, of course, the Bengals start (and finish) strong next season.
Now heading into the last year of Joe Burrow’s favorable rookie contract, the Bengals know this is an excellent opportunity for them to make the Super Bowl run that has eluded them the entirety of their history. Taylor has done remarkable work in getting this team into this position, and it’s time he’s earned the benefit of the doubt.
Of course, it seems the verdict on Taylor’s approach will ultimately be tied to Burrow’s health, regardless of the fairness of such a connection. For fans concerned that Taylor should be more proactive in preparing and selectively limiting his superstar quarterback as the season approaches, look no further than Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, who wrote:
“Burrow has never had this many practices in July and as August looms, Taylor has a plan. Last week, with three straight days of practice, he gave him the third day off. But he just backed him off in the middle of the three-day stretch Monday, so that he can go Tuesday before Wednesday’s off day.”
Taylor explained the decision thusly: “The second three days, let’s be proactive with how we structure practice to where he’s still able to get in there and do some things, but we’re not really throwing downfield.”
We’ve seen what he does in the locker room and community. Every Bengal fan knows Taylor has earned his reputation as one of the most culture-forward coaches in the league. That’s no small feat, by the way, having come into a situation that at times in the past has more resembled the movie The Longest Yard than an upstanding, well-run professional organization.
It’s time we get over our baggage and start trusting the process as our favorite team prepares for a last hurrah with Tee Higgins and (perhaps) Sam Hubbard. It seems odd to say Taylor has earned, it but his actions seem to merit that. And if you don’t want to take my word for it, just ask the big guy wearing two rings. He’s happy to spread the word.
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