Regardless of what happens the rest of the season for the 4-10 Cincinnati Bengals, all indications are they're prepared to run it back with head coach Zac Taylor and their current front office led by personnel chief Duke Tobin.
Not exactly the news Who Dey Nation was hoping for, especially since the franchise has lit three prime seasons of Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase on fire.
What's perhaps most surprising in the midst of that disappointment is how supportive Burrow and Chase are of the organization's leadership. Burrow continues to stick by Taylor and the front office, insisting the right people are in place to turn the ship around.
Chase expressed similar sentiment in his latest press conference — but you have to wonder if it's less about an optimistic view of the future and more about knowing these key leaders like Taylor and Tobin have no chance to be removed from power.
Ja'Marr Chase endorses Bengals front office & coaching staff despite woeful 2025 season
When asked about the coaches and personnel folks who comprise the NFL's smallest scouting department in Cincinnati, Chase didn't hesitate to gas them up. He weighed in on not only the coaches, but also on why he and other players keep buying in to the front office's vision.
"I feel great about them...I've got a great bond with the staff. [...] They've shown them love since they got here as rookies ...Over time you keep building on a relationship, and they still have one."
Ja'Marr Chase answered questions pertaining to the Bengals front office & coaching staff today—
— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) December 18, 2025
Q: How do you feel about the front office and this coaching staff?
Ja'Marr: "I feel great about them ... I've got a great bond with the staff."
Q: Why do you think Bengals players… pic.twitter.com/VH5GyHF0MV
There's a certain innate loyalty between a player and a franchise when they're drafted. The Bengals did invest high first-round picks in Burrow and Chase. Reuniting them in the NFL after they won a national title at LSU was a literal dream come true. And their first two seasons together resulted in a Super Bowl berth and another trip to the AFC Championship Game. They both were rewarded (if a little belatedly) with top-of-market second contracts.
So it's easy to see why Chase could buy in. Unfortunately, everything has gone so wrong since that last playoff run. Burrow has dealt with two major injuries, while Chase has continued to produce at an elite clip, only to fail to reach the postseason for three years running.
Read More: Joe Burrow sends subtle message to Bengals that reads like an ultimatum
A few consecutive 100-catch seasons is great for Chase as an individual. He can't really be blamed for any losses along the way. It's just that he and Burrow shoulder so much burden for the Bengals, and are more lead-by-example types than motivational catalysts. They sort of stick to their own processes and form one of the league's premier passing game combos in recent memory, only for the defense to often fail them.
Burrow and Chase are in alignment on the field, in their endorsement of the Bengals brass, and also in the sense that they both want to see some change this offseason.
How Cincinnati can expect anything meaningful to change or improve is unclear if Taylor and Tobin continue to occupy their current posts. Running it back can only get the Bengals so far. If the losses keep piling up down the stretch, it'd be understandable if Chase gets a little more blunt and specific on what needs to shift in the Bengals' building.
No time like the present to do that if you ask me. Still, what else can Burrow, Chase, and us fans do other than hope for the best. Pray Tobin's department and Taylor's staff get it together to return to the postseason in 2026.
There's just no world in which everyone should stay put with a fourth straight whiff at the playoffs.