Cincinnati Bengals fans, apologies in advance. If there's going to be any meaningful change in the organization's power structure, as advocated for by Joe Burrow in his latest, wildly eventful press conference, this is the only conceivable way.
Team owner Mike Brown is too polite and favoritist. He won't fire de facto GM Duke Tobin, nor will he give up on head coach Zac Taylor without kicking and screaming, especially since Taylor's contract runs through 2027 — a year long than previously reported.
You know what somebody in the building could sell the old-school Brown on, though? A coaching/personnel chief hire that, while outdated in theory, could be just what Cincinnati needs to galvanize a long-term pursuit of Super Bowls in the Burrow era.
Bill Belichick to the Bengals? It'd certainly fulfill Joe Burrow's longing for "creative" solutions to Cincinnati's woes
Here's what Burrow had to say at his latest presser about how the Bengals must think outside the box to ensure they don't miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season in 2026.
"I think we have great coaches...I have a lot of confidence in everybody that's putting together the plans...what we have been doing hasn't worked the last couple years. We have to think outside the box and get creative about where we go from here."
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) December 17, 2025
-Joe Burrow#Bengals pic.twitter.com/lcfUdSVFFO
Rest assured, if Cincinnati isn't in the postseason next year, Burrow will request a trade so fast your head will spin.
So what is the kindest way to push the hapless, incompetent Tobin out of his post as the director of personnel, while also perceptibly upgrading at head coach?
His name is Bill Belichick. He may be bringing some weird energy these days, have a way-too-young girlfriend, and be failing as a college coach at North Carolina. But last I checked, when he had an elite quarterback in Tom Brady, he won six Super Bowls for the New England Patriots.
Read More: Bengals reality gets darker as RG3 reacts to Joe Burrow’s mindset
The Bengals' offense is fine as long as Burrow is healthy. Their defense is a dumpster fire. Is there a better defensive mind in the history of the sport than Belichick?
So with all that loaded up, let this report from longtime NFL insider Josina Anderson wash over you, Who Dey Nation:
I'm told there's been recent interest expressed, at the very least, in speaking with Bill Belichick on a exploratory basis from two teams , per league source.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 18, 2025
My understanding is Belichick has upper-level personnel still fond of him in Atlanta, New York, Cleveland, whilst all… pic.twitter.com/jNvgFBAGET
Do I love me some 2025-26 Bill Belichick? Not really. But like...think about it. Couldn't he make at least a slight improvement to Cincinnati's defense? And as long as The Hoodie lets Burrow do his thing on offense, wouldn't this be a perfect marriage on paper?
Trust me. I don't want Jordon Hudson within a 1,000-mile radius of Bengals headquarters. However, the high maintenance of that whole situation would be well worth it.
Belichick has something to prove. He wants to show he can win without Tom Brady. He took a calculated risk by going to UNC. It backfired in a big way. He's not cut out for college football. Belichick is as NFL as it gets.
I wrote about this almost a month ago. Probably will multiple other times until the coaching carousel stops spinning. Or until it's 100% confirmed Taylor is coming back in 2026.
The chances of Belichick being "on to Cincinnati" are slim to none. I'm just saying...if the Bengals wanted to show they were open to meaningful change, this would be the most logical move they could do without disrupting their old-school ways.