For Los Angeles Rams players and coaches, the days after Super Bowl LIII were tough. They had to clean out their lockers, reflect on the loss to New England and realize that there won’t be meaningful football for another six months.
That wasn’t exactly the case for Zac Taylor, who was hired as the Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach. The day after the Rams’ loss, Taylor was introduced by the Bengals. In fact, shortly after the game, Taylor was on a flight to Cincinnati, giving him very little time to realize what had just happened.
He told Peter King of NBC Sports that he hasn’t had time to process the loss as he’s now focused on the Bengals. He’s conflicted between being excited about his next opportunity and recovering from the toughest defeat of his career.
“I haven’t had a chance to process it, quite honestly,” Taylor said. “There just hasn’t been time. I haven’t watched the game. Honestly, I’m conflicted. It’s devastating to work so hard to get to the championship game, and for your entire team to pour everything they’ve got into it, and then to lose like that.
“But five or six hours after the game, I’m on a plane to Cincinnati, on the way to fulfill a dream I’ve had for so long—to be a head coach in the NFL. And then your brain goes there. It’s just … it’s just the way it is, and you’ve got to turn the page.”
It’s easy to see why Taylor is conflicted. On one hand, he has to be disappointed with the way the season ended. It’s impossible not to feel that way. On the other hand, he’s entering the next step in his coaching career and has plenty to work through as the Bengals’ head coach, from roster building to coming up with a scheme in Cincinnati.
That’s not to say he doesn’t care about the Super Bowl loss, it’s just that he has a full plate with his new job.
