Tag: Taylor

Oct 17, 2024; Watford, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor during press conference at The Grove. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bears officially promote Press Taylor to offensive coordinator

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Chicago Bears officially promoted passing game coordinator Press Taylor to offensive coordinator in a series of staff announcements on Wednesday.

The Bears also added running backs coach Eric Studesville, offensive analyst Will Lawing and offensive quality control coach Isaiah Ford to head coach Ben Johnson’s staff.

Taylor, 38, takes over for Declan Doyle, who accepted the same job with the Baltimore Ravens. Johnson is expected to continue to call the offensive plays.

Taylor, younger brother of Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, began his coaching career with the Philadelphia Eagles (2013-20) and Indianapolis Colts (2021) before becoming offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars for three seasons (2022-24).

Studesville, 58, began his NFL coaching career with the Bears from 1997-2000. He spent the past nine seasons with the Miami Dolphins, the last four as associated head coach and running backs coach.

Lawing, 40, spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at Boston College. His NFL experience includes time with the Houston Texans (2014-20) and New England Patriots (2023).

Ford, 30, is making the move into coaching after catching 63 passes for 681 yards and two touchdowns in 32 games as a wide receiver with the Dolphins from 2018-21. Johnson was his position coach in Miami in 2018.

–Field Level Media

Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor (ankle) underwent procedure

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor underwent a procedure on his left ankle, according to the school.

Taylor was injured during a 43-29 loss to Wake Forest in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Jan. 2.

“Mississippi State freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor successfully underwent a minor procedure Thursday to address a sprained left ankle,” the school’s statement read. “A quick and full recovery is anticipated, and he is expected to be available for spring practice.”

That’s good news for the Bulldogs as Taylor appeared to be badly hurt when carted off the field with less than two minutes left in the bowl game.

Taylor was scrambling for yardage and took a hard hit to his legs. He went down awkwardly and immediately grabbed for his left lower leg.

Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby said after the contest that the initial reports were good. So a procedure to repair a sprained ankle is much better than a fracture or a break.

Taylor completed 13 of 22 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 63 yards and a score on 18 carries against Wake Forest.

Overall, he passed for 629 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in 11 appearances as the backup to Blake Shapen. He added 458 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.

Shapen opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft.

Taylor is slated to be Mississippi State’s starting quarterback next season.

–Field Level Media

Bengals retaining coach Zac Taylor, personnel chief Duke Tobin

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Cincinnati Bengals are bringing back head coach Zac Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin despite missing the playoffs for a third straight season.

Owner Mike Brown announced Monday that the leadership will remain in place following a 6-11 season in which star quarterback Joe Burrow missed nine games with a turf-toe injury.

“We came into the season with high expectations, coming off four straight winning seasons with leaders in place that took us to a Super Bowl and two AFC Championship games. We know this season has been frustrating and disappointing. The results fell short of our standards, and missing the playoffs again proves there is more work to do,” Brown said in a statement.

“Our focus is on building a team that can consistently compete at the highest level, with the goal of winning championships. After thoughtful consideration, I am confident that Duke Tobin and Zac Taylor are the right leaders to guide us forward. They have proven they can build and lead teams that compete for championships. We trust their plans and expect to return to our desired level of success.”

Taylor, 42, is 52-63-1 with two playoff appearances through seven seasons in Cincinnati. The 2021 team lost tothe Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, and the 2022 squad fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game.

Tobin, 55, has held his position with the Bengals since 2002. Cincinnati has reached the playoffs nine times during that tenure.

–Field Level Media

Jets rule out TE Mason Taylor, DE Will McDonald, 2 others vs. Patriots

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The New York Jets have ruled out defensive end Will McDonald, tight end Mason Taylor and two others for Sunday’s game against New England.

Head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed Friday that McDonald (knee), Taylor (neck), defensive tackle Jay Tufele (foot) and linebacker Francisco Mauigoa (neck) will not play against the visiting Patriots (12-3).

None of the four players participated in practices for the Jets (3-12) on Wednesday or Thursday.

McDonald, 26, leads New York with 8.0 sacks and has 30 tackles and 19 quarterback hits in 15 games (14 starts).

Taylor, 21, has 44 catches for 369 yards and one touchdown in 13 games (11 starts) since New York drafted him in the second round in April.

Tufele, 26, has recorded 12 tackles in 12 games (two starts) in his first season with the Jets.

Mauigoa, 22, has 45 tackles in 12 games (eight starts) since being selected in the fifth round of the 2025 draft.

–Field Level Media

QB question marks abound as Jets prepare for Jaguars

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Ailing New York Jets quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields will not practice Wednesday, with undrafted rookie Brady Cook taking all the reps, head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters.

Taylor is dealing with a groin issue that forced him to leave the 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. With demoted starter Justin Fields dealing with knee soreness, Cook made his NFL debut in relief of Taylor.

Cook, 24, was 14-of-30 passing for 163 yards with two interceptions and six sacks.

Glenn did not name Cook as the starter for the Jets (3-10) on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4) this Sunday. The opportunity for Cook to build “continuity” with the first-team offense would be invaluable for the rookie, Glenn said.

“It will be good for him, but we’ll see how this week progresses when it comes to our quarterback situation,” Glenn said.

On the season, the Jets have completed 223 of 370 pass attempts (60.3%) for 1,904 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. New York is the only NFL team not to have eclipsed the 2,000-yard passing mark.

–Field Level Media

Zac Taylor still contemplating Bengals QB Joe Burrow’s status

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One day after Joe Burrow practiced without restrictions for the first time in three months, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor might be expecting the quarterback to show up in his office to declare himself fit for the start on Sunday.

“Oh yeah. And that’s my job, to balance all the information and protect the player. And make the best decision possible,” Taylor told 700 WLW on Thursday. “I wish I had that decision today. I’m going to take in all the information I can and make the best decision for Joe and our team and go from there. “

Burrow had surgery for a turf toe injury and is pining to return to duty Sunday against the New England Patriots (9-2). Cincinnati started 2-0, winning in a comeback over the Jaguars in Week 2, which Burrow exited in favor of Jake Browning. The Bengals then acquired Joe Flacco and sent Browning to the bench, but have only one win since placing Burrow on IR.

If Burrow plays this week, he would be about a month ahead of schedule.

A history of injuries and the Bengals’ 3-7 record are factors the team might weigh before putting Burrow in harm’s way this week. His initial timeline was projected to be three months after the Sept. 19 surgery in Birmingham, Ala. He returned to practice on a limited basis on Nov. 10.

Flacco said Burrow was impressive in his Wednesday work.

“Joe looked good. It’s cool to see him out there,” Flacco said. “And, obviously, when you’re both now taking reps some conversations happen. Like, ‘How do you see this vs. that?’ Joe looked good.”

Asked if there was even a chance Burrow plays this week, Taylor didn’t bite.

“I’m not there yet,” Taylor said. “One day at practice isn’t going to make that decision yet. We’ll use the time we have at our disposal and come up with the best decision we can.”

Flacco was limited in practice on Wednesday, prescribed rest for his right shoulder injury.

Taylor said one of the hurdles remaining for Burrow was gauging the physical response to his first 11-on-11 practice since September.

–Field Level Media

Aaron Glenn, Jets turn to Tyrod Taylor; rookie Brady Cook on deck?

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Tyrod Taylor took reps with the starting offense on Wednesday and officially has unseated Justin Fields as the No. 1 quarterback for the New York Jets.

Head coach Aaron Glenn said Taylor, a 15-year veteran with a 28-29-1 record in 59 career starts, makes his second start of the season Sunday against the team that drafted him in 2011, the Baltimore Ravens.

“On Monday, I talked to both of those guys and talked to the team, so Tyrod will be our starter,” Glenn said, before he was asked why he made the move. “Because I wanted to.”

Glenn demoted Fields trying to find a spark for an offense with a combined 31 points in Jets’ past three losses. New York has won two of its last three games.

Fields threw only one interception. He lost two fumbles and was sacked 27 times in nine games.

Taylor lost a fumble and threw a pick-6 in his only other start for the Jets this season, Week 3 at Tampa Bay. He has three of the Jets’ 11 touchdown passes this season.

Baltimore (5-5) has won four consecutive games and has six sacks and six takeaways during a three-game run of road wins at Miami, Minnesota and Cleveland.

Undrafted rookie Brady Cook was not strongly considered for a promotion from the No. 3 job to a starting assignment. But Glenn pointed to potential playing time for the former Missouri quarterback if the offense continues to struggle.

“He’s still developing,” Glenn said. “There’s been a plan for him from the very beginning. And I wanted to make sure we do what’s right for him. And who knows, we’ll see what happens as the season progresses. I’m not promising anything — but he knows exactly what his role is when it comes to this team. But I’ll say right now, Tyrod is our starter.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) looks to get rid of the ball in the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

QB Tyrod Taylor out, leaving Justin Fields to start for Jets

Posted on | by Field Level Media

New York Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor was ruled out Saturday due to a knee injury, meaning embattled Justin Fields will start Sunday at Cincinnati.

Head coach Aaron Glenn had declined to name a starter all week as the Jets (0-7) prepare to face the Bengals (3-4).

The Jets announced Taylor will not travel with the team. That leaves undrafted rookie Brady Cook to serve as the No. 2 signal-caller on Sunday.

Signed to a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed, Fields has failed to deliver results. In the past two losses to the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos, he completed a combined 15 of 29 passes for 91 yards and no touchdowns.

Fields, 26, has completed 63.7% of his passes for 845 yards, four TDs and no interceptions in six starts this season.

Taylor, 36, took over in the second half against the Panthers. He has completed 62.3% of his passes this season for 379 yards with three TDs and three picks in three games (one start).

The Jets also said wide receiver Josh Reynolds (hip) will not make the trip to Cincinnati. He did not practice this week but had been listed as questionable.

Reynolds, 30, has appeared in five games (three starts) on the season with 11 receptions for 101 yards. He is in his first season with the Jets, his sixth team.

–Field Level Media

Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) looks on from the sidelines during the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Jets rule out CB Sauce Gardner and WR Garrett Wilson

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New York Jets ruled out cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Head coach Aaron Glenn provided the updates Friday, adding that quarterback Tyrod Taylor (knee) is questionable but trending in the right direction.

Glenn has still not announced whether Taylor or Justin Fields will be under center for the winless Jets (0-7) against the host Bengals (3-4).

Gardner (concussion) and Wilson (knee), arguably New York’s best players on each side of the ball, did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. Gardner was hurt in last week’s 13-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers, while Wilson sustained his injury in the Week 6 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Gardner, 25, has 20 tackles and six passes defensed in seven starts this season. The two-time All-Pro has started 55 of a possible 58 games since being drafted with the No. 4 overall pick in 2022.

Wilson, 25, leads the Jets in targets (56), receptions (36), receiving yards (395) and touchdown catches (four) in six starts. Before sitting out last weekend, he had played in all 57 games since being drafted 10th overall in 2022.

Gardner and Wilson were the NFL’s Defensive and Offensive Rookies of the Year, respectively, in 2022.

Taylor, 36, replaced an ineffective Fields in the second half of last Sunday’s loss to the Panthers. He has completed 43 of 69 passes for 379 yards with three TDs and three interceptions in three games (one start) this season.

Fields, 26, has completed 86 of 135 passes for 845 yards with four touchdowns and no picks in six starts this year. He has been held under 50 yards in each of the past two games.

–Field Level Media

Sep 21, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor (2) looks to pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Knee injury impacting Jets QB Tyrod Taylor

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The winless Jets’ quarterback picture grew murkier on Wednesday with New York’s Tyrod Taylor now considered day-to-day with a knee injury.

New York head coach Aaron Glenn, who provided the injury update, declined to say whether he is sticking with a struggling Justin Fields or making a switch to the veteran backup Taylor on Sunday at Cincinnati.

“We’ll have a quarterback on Sunday, I will tell you that,” Glenn told reporters on Wednesday, adding that he knows who will start under center but does not want to give the Bengals “a competitive advantage” by announcing it.

Glenn said he hasn’t lost confidence in Fields despite the team’s offensive struggles. The Jets rank 27th in scoring offense at 18.4 points per game and 29th in total offense at 271.3 yards per game.

“I have all the confidence in the world in Justin, I have all the confidence in the world in Tyrod, and I have all the confidence world in Brady (Cook),” said Glenn, referring to the undrafted rookie on the practice squad.

Signed to a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed, Fields has failed to deliver results. During the past two losses to Carolina and Denver, he completed a combined 15 of 29 passes for 91 yards and no touchdowns.

Fields, 26, has completed 63.7% of his passes for 845 yards, four TDs and no interceptions in six starts this season.

Taylor, 36, who took over in the second half of last Sunday’s 13-6 home loss to the Panthers, has completed 62.3% of his passes this season for 379 yards with three TDs and three picks in three games (one start).

Jets owner Woody Johnson weighed in on Fields’ performance earlier this week.

“It’s hard when you have a quarterback with the rating that we’ve got,” he said. “He has the ability, but something is not jiving. If you look at any head coach with a quarterback like that, you are going to see similar results across the league. You have to play consistently at that position and that’s what we’re going to try to do for the remainder of the season.”

Glenn didn’t take offense publicly to Johnson’s comments. He said he address the owner’s comments in a team meeting and also spoke individually with Fields.

“He made a comment, and he has every right to his comment,” Glenn said of Johnson. “That comment was actually said by a number of guys, including our quarterback, as far as the efficiency of how we play. We’re not going to fight that. We understand that we have to get better.”

The Jets (0-7) have a bye in Week 9 following their date with the Bengals (3-4).

–Field Level Media