QB Shake-Up Looming? Bengals HC Zac Taylor Noncommittal After Jake Browning’s Latest Loss
Jake Browning is quickly losing grip on the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback position. The Bengals lost the last three fixtures with Browning after Joe Burrow led them to a 2-0 start in the first two weeks.
Browning’s inability to move the sticks and concede turnovers at regular intervals has created doubts among the Bengals’ front office about whether they should stick with him or try something else. They have been outscored 113-37 with the 29-year-old under center, and he’s thrown 8 picks (second most and only behind the Raiders QB
The defeat against the Detroit Lions in particular exposed Browning’s limitations as a quarterback. Sure, he threw three touchdown passes, but he also conceded three, canceling out his good work.
Up next, the Bengals travel to Wisconsin and face the 2-1-1 Green Bay Packers, who had a bye week. Browning, for the moment, is the starter, but head coach Zac Taylor
We’ll see where it goes. You know, I think—like all personnel decisions—we’ve got to evaluate it. Jake’s been very accountable for how the game went for him. I’ve got to be accountable for how the game went for me as well. And so we’ll continue to progress here through the days
Zac Taylor said (H/T: NFL.com).
Zac Taylor asked if he sees Jake Browning as starting QB vs GB: “We’ll see where it goes. Like all personnel decisions, we have to evaluate it.”
Taylor again leaves door open to go a different direction at QB.
Other QBs in the building: Brett Rypien, Mike White, Sean Clifford. — Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) October 6, 2025
According to early odds by AZCentral, the Packers are 14.5-point favorites to defeat the Bengals in week six.
Who could realistically replace Jake Browning for the Bengals?
Taylor’s options are limited. Seven-year veteran
The front office signed veterans Mike White and
White has bounced around several NFL rosters, including the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills, before joining the Bengals. In 15 games, White started seven and posted a 2-5 record.
Clifford, a Cincinnati native, was part of the Packers roster in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Taylor also has the option to trade for a temporary stand-in quarterback. One name the Bengals have been linked with is
Can’t stop thinking about Jameis on the Bengals.
They have a MNF, two SNF, and a TNF game in the next 2 months. Please @NFL, step in pic.twitter.com/jxE0VYkSlT
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) September 15, 2025
Winston’s familiarity with the AFC North may be helpful for the Bengals. He started 7 games (played in 12) and posted a 2-5 record.
The Giants signed Winston on a two-year deal, but he should be open to starting in Cincinnati.
The Bengals should view Jameis Winston as the rollercoaster ride option; trade for him in case of an emergency. The big-armed pocket-passer will feed wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at a high volume, but he’s also likely to turn the ball over at least once a game. Winston would bring immediate excitement to Cincinnati’s offense, but the club must weigh the cost of his careless throws that could put the defense in tough spots and force the offense into track meets
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report wrote in a recent article.
Winston is 36-51 as an NFL starter with 24,225 yards, 154 touchdowns, and 111 interceptions.
Shedeur Sanders Igпites Firestorm Over NFL’s Bad Bυппy Halftime Decisioп
The NFL thought it was rolling out an entertainment headline. Instead, it set off a political earthquake.
On Tuesday, the league proudly announced that global music superstar Bad Bunny would headline the Super Bowl 2026 Halftime Show.
Within hours, the focus shifted away from music to one of the most explosive controversies in recent NFL history courtesy of Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders’ Stunning Outburst
In a postgame media session, Sanders didn’t hold back.
His words detonated like dynamite, sparking outrage and debate across sports and culture.
“Bad Bunny is a Spanish-singing puppet of the Left, and the league has just declared war on America!” Sanders declared, his voice tight with frustration.
For a player usually known for his calm demeanor and measured tone, the tirade shocked reporters into silence.
What began as an innocuous announcement about halftime entertainment suddenly transformed into a cultural battlefield – one Sanders was all too willing to step into.
The NFL’s Halftime Gamble
The Super Bowl Halftime Show has always been one of the most-watched events in American entertainment.
In recent years, the league has sought to expand its reach by booking international megastars: Rihanna, Shakira, J Balvin, and now Bad Bunny.
Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican reggaeton and Latin trap sensation, has sold out stadiums across the globe and dominated charts in multiple languages.
His selection was intended to highlight the NFL’s growing international audience and celebrate diversity.
But for Sanders, and a vocal contingent of fans, the move represented something else entirely.
From Stage to Political Arena
Sanders accused the NFL of caving to cultural forces that he believes have politicized the sport.
His claim that the league was “bowing to Democratic propaganda” struck a nerve, instantly polarizing reactions.
Supporters hailed Sanders as a truth-teller, praising him for voicing frustrations about the NFL’s direction.
Detractors condemned his comments as xenophobic and divisive, arguing that Bad Bunny’s artistry transcends politics.
By midnight, hashtags like #SandersVsNFL, #BadBunnyBowl, and #KeepPoliticsOutOfFootball were trending worldwide.
Fallout Inside the League
The NFL’s front office scrambled to manage the fallout.
League officials released a carefully worded statement defending the choice of Bad Bunny:
“The Super Bowl Halftime Show celebrates music, culture, and unity. Bad Bunny is one of the world’s most influential artists, and we are proud to have him headline.”
Privately, however, insiders admitted the uproar blindsided them.
Sanders’ comments weren’t just from a fringe player – they came from one of the Colorado Buffaloes’ most dynamic stars, a quarterback seen as a rising talent in the sport.
Buffaloes in the Crossfire
The Colorado Buffaloes organization was thrust into crisis mode.
Sanders, their $40 million franchise quarterback, had effectively declared war on the league’s leadership.
Team officials reportedly urged Sanders to clarify his remarks, but the quarterback stood firm, telling one reporter, “I said what I said. Football is about America, not propaganda.”
For the Buffaloes, the situation is delicate.
Alienating their star quarterback risks implosion, but standing against the NFL risks fines, sanctions, and damaged relationships with the league.
The Music World Reacts
Bad Bunny himself has yet to respond directly, but the music industry erupted in solidarity.
Fellow artists, from Cardi B to Maluma, condemned Sanders’ words as an attack not just on Bad Bunny but on the presence of Latin artists in American culture.
One record executive called Sanders’ remarks “a slap in the face to millions of fans who love Bad Bunny’s music, regardless of politics.”
Others, however, admitted Sanders’ comments could fuel even greater interest in the halftime show.
“Like it or not, this controversy just made Super Bowl 2026 even bigger,” one industry insider noted.
Fans Divide Down the Middle
The fan response mirrored America’s broader cultural divides.
Supporters of Sanders: “He’s standing up for tradition. Football should unite Americans, not push an agenda.”
Supporters of Bad Bunny: “This is racism in disguise. Bad Bunny earned this spot, and Sanders is scared of change.”
At bars, online forums, and radio shows, the debate raged. For some, this was about music. For others, it was about culture, politics, and who truly owns the Super Bowl stage.
The Bigger Picture
Sanders’ outburst is more than just a one-day headline.
It’s a snapshot of the NFL’s struggle to balance tradition with globalization, patriotism with diversity, and football with entertainment.
The league wants the halftime show to reflect its growing international influence.
Sanders’ words reflect a fanbase that feels football should remain a uniquely American ritual, free from global pop stars and political undertones.
Caught in the middle are millions of fans who just want to watch the game without controversy – an increasingly impossible ask.
