The Cincinnati Bengals have officially won the offseason, regardless of what happens during free agency.
Earlier this week, we learned that Cincinnati offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher are returning in 2023.
Can confirm that the Bengals will run (and pass) it back for 2023 with Brian Callahan and Dan Pitcher returning to Zac Taylor’s staff. Pitcher’s return first reported by @MikeGarafolo. Great news for Joe Burrow.
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) February 12, 2023
That means Joe Burrow will have the same head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach for the fourth straight season. That’s almost unheard of in the NFL these days and it should lead to an even more successful season for Burrow and the Bengals’ offense in 2023.
On Tuesday, Cincinnati received more good news. The Arizona Cardinals are hiring Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon to replace Kliff Kingsbury as the franchise’s head coach.
The Arizona job was the final open head coaching job. That means that Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who was a finalist for the Arizona job, will be returning to Cincinnati for his fifth straight season.
Cardinals are finalizing a deal with former Eagles’ defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon to become their new head coach, sources tell ESPN. The last HC opening of this hiring cycle is being filled.
Eagles now are losing both their defensive and offensive coordinators, on the… https://t.co/BRU2yCz4cG pic.twitter.com/V7S1RQXNGW
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 14, 2023
That’s massive for the Bengals. Anarumo has been an extremely popular assistant in Cincinnati with many players referring to him as a “mad scientist” due to the creative looks he comes up with on the defensive side of the ball.
Continuity isn’t a sexy word in sports.
But it’s an incredibly important (and often overlooked) ingredient to success. The Bengals already know their formula works — it’s taken them to back-to-back AFC Championship games.
And now they know that formula won’t be changing in 2023. Cincinnati can hit the ground running when minicamps and OTAs start later this spring. And I have no doubt that everyone in the organization is hungry for success after coming up a game short of the Super Bowl last season.
