Nick Wright Says Bengals Could Hire Super Bowl-Winning Coach if They Miss Playoffs

One of the most outspoken analysts against the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason has been Nick Wright of Fox Sports. He isn't sold on the additions the Bengals have made and doesn't understand why they continue to have high expectations year after year. Wright believes fans overstate the Bengals' victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 AFC Championship Game to the point that they act as though the franchise has completely turned things around.

Bengals fans, in response, point to Wright's affinity for the Chiefs as the reason he often criticizes Cincinnati instead of speaking positively about the team. It's an understandable stance. However, his most recent comments about the Bengals weren't necessarily negative. Instead, they focused on what he thinks will happen if Cincinnati's season doesn't go according to plan and the team misses the playoffs.

When asked the question, Wright made a bold, multilayered prediction: If Cincinnati misses the playoffs, it will fire coach Zac Taylor and hire current Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni.

Now, his prediction that the Bengals would fire Taylor if they miss the playoffs is not the bold part. I think the majority of the fan base would agree that Taylor should be, and will be, fired if Cincinnati doesn't advance to the postseason. But Wright's prediction that Sirianni would join the Bengals requires several things to happen first.

Sirianni is on the hot seat despite winning the Super Bowl following the 2024 season and leading the Eagles to another Super Bowl appearance following the 2022 season, just his second as Philadelphia's head coach. Some would say the scrutiny is undeserved, but it follows a drama-filled 2025 season that ended with a first-round playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round. One more disappointing season could force the Eagles' leadership to make a change.

If that happens and the Bengals are also looking for a head coach at the time of Sirianni's departure, the fit is there. Wright said the Bengals wouldn't want to take a chance on a first-time head coach again with players like Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in their prime. If they were to hire a first-time head coach, funnily enough, it could be their current offensive coordinator, Dan Pitcher, who appears to be trending toward earning a head coaching opportunity after next season.

Sirianni, an offensive-minded coach with a Super Bowl title already under his belt, would be a logical hire for the Brown family if it decides to make a coaching change next season. At the very least, the possibility is an interesting offseason scenario to consider before training camp begins. What Sirianni has done with Jalen Hurts, who has experienced stretches of inconsistent play during his career, could make many wonder what he could accomplish with a quarterback like Burrow.