Bengals owner and president Mike Brown had a lot to say on Wednesday, from his vote of confidence in Zac Taylor by extending the Cincinnati head coach's contract through the 2026 season to remarks at an evening pep rally at Washington Park to celebrate the team's AFC Championship and third Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.
"Zac has come into the league and worked to develop the foundations for a winning program that can be successful over time," Brown said of Taylor's contract extension in a press release. "The fruits of Zac's efforts were seen this year, and Zac is well-regarded by our players and coaches. I know the effort and passion Zac brings to the building and to our team, and I am pleased by his approach. And I think the city of Cincinnati sees him the way the players and I do. He's brought excitement to the town and deserves credit and recognition for that."
Brown offered praise of quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals to the crowd gathered later in the day in Over-the-Rhine, in addition to some broad promises about the future of the team.
"This team made a whole new generation of Bengals fans. This team will keep going year after year," Brown told the crowd, per The Enquirer's Brook Endale. "Fans, we got it next year. Our future is bright."
More Brown quotes from Bengals.com:
Joe (Burrow) is a smart player and that shines through. He's accurate, he's tough as nails. We want to do some things to help him. ... I think we have the core of a top team. We'll add to it and I think we can make it better.
No team in the National Football League has better fans than Bengals fans. We played the Super Bowl in the Rams' home stadium and our fans were louder.
My one regret is I'm not carrying a new trophy. The Bengals are real. The future is bright. You, our coaches and our players are going to have some trip.
It's hard not to give in. It's over. It's in the books. There isn't anything you can do to change it. It doesn't do any good to gripe. It doesn't do any good to moan. Just move forward. You hurt for a time. But a week or two later it's not so bad. You get over the hurt. ... We had won three in succession like that at the end before we played the Rams. It could have gone the other way. So could have the other three that got us there. ... The experience is with you forever. I remember I couldn't look at the (second Super Bowl) game against the 49ers for 25 years. When it would come on TV on replay, I would just switch the channel. I have to admit I haven't looked at this game on TV so far. It's only been three days. I looked at the tape. I saw what I wanted to see. I think I understand what happened. It's in the past now is where it resides with me.
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