Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor came under fire days after joining the team for deciding to hire offensive line coach Jim Turner.
Turner, who has had controversy follow him at multiple stops over the years, arrives in Cincinnati as the replacement for Frank Pollack in a flurry of moves made by the Bengals on Thursday.
Taylor then met with the media to vouch for Turner, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.
“I know the man and I know he’s a great person, great human,” Taylor said. “And so, somebody I trust. We talked about culture and bringing the right people in this building and I would never do anything that would tarnish the reputation of the Brown family and the Bengals organization if I didn’t believe in the person and know the person inside and out. And every coach, not just Jim, every coach we’re bringing in here is about the right stuff … and that’s why I’m excited to get Jim in here. Football coaching aside, I like the person and I know the person.”
Unfortunately, Taylor’s words likely won’t ease concerns. Turner was the coach in Miami during the bullying scandal involving Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito. He then fell off the radar for two years before resurfacing and getting suspended at Texas A&M for insensitive jokes. He filed a defamation suit against the investigators for how they portrayed him during the bullying scandal (not whether his actions actually occurred), only for that to be dismissed.
To Taylor’s credit, his openness with reporters and willing to even address it is a bit of fresh air around the team. But his confidence in knowing Turner, who he’s worked with plenty in the past, is offset by the public facts of situations surrounding his offensive line coach.
For now, Taylor is willing to take the risk despite criticisms.
