Even though they finished third in the AFC North, Cincinnati remains the lone division team to retain its head coach heading into the 2026 season. The other teams in the division made big changes: the Ravens fired John Harbaugh, the Browns dismissed Kevin Stefanski, and Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 seasons in Pittsburgh. 🧭➡️
Zac Taylor said he expected the coaching staff to stay intact, but Dan Pitcher, the Bengals’ offensive coordinator, has drawn head coaching interest. Cleveland interviewed Pitcher for their job and is expected to meet him again; analysts say a real possibility exists he could depart for the Browns. 👀💼
Joe Burrow has spoken highly of Pitcher, saying their relationship is vital to his development and that Pitcher prepared him for his career. Pitcher served as Burrow’s quarterbacks coach from 2020 to 2023 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023, and he previously interviewed with the Buccaneers before the 2023 season but chose to stay with Cincinnati to work with Burrow. 🙌🏈
If Pitcher leaves, the Browns would be aiming to pair a young offensive mind with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, a move that could reshape the division. For Cincinnati, losing a coach who has helped Burrow could be a notable setback, though it remains early in the Browns’ search. 💥🔄
