It’s no secret both Joe Burrow and Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor have Ohio links.
Taylor spent time as a coach with the University of Cincinnati and Burrow himself grew up in Athens, about three hours away, while his father coached at Ohio University.
This link became more common knowledge nationally when Taylor mentioned it at the Senior Bowl. MMQB’s Albert Breer has recently expanded on the idea:
“Back in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, Cincy coach Zac Taylor mentioned to me that he and Jimmy Burrow, Joe’s dad, became familiar with each other when they were both on the recruiting trail—the elder Burrow as Ohio University’s defensive coordinator and Taylor as the University of Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator. They had a natural connection too, that ran through Nebraska. Jimmy Burrow played there, coached there and had two sons who played there. Taylor, meanwhile, was the quarterback in Lincoln a couple years after Burrow left. So if I’m Taylor, I work that relationship, especially if he likes Burrow as much as I think he does.”
This relationship has already been worked since the NFL season ended, with Taylor reaching out to Burrow’s family about Joe attending the Senior Bowl.
And while Burrow ultimately didn’t attend the event in Mobile for various reasons, Bengals fans can rest easy knowing Taylor has already been putting this connection to work here.
Keep in mind Burrow’s father has also stated multiple times his son would be happy to go first to the Bengals.
If nothing else, this connection should keep things running smoothly if/when the Bengals decide Burrow is the pick and it’s time to work out the specifics before the draft.
