Cincinnati Bengals Coach Upset Over Game Suspension

Zac Taylor, the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, expressed his frustration after NFL officials halted the game to recognize Myles Garrett’s record-setting 23rd sack during their 20-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns. This incident occurred late in the fourth quarter, with just over five minutes remaining.

Following the game, Taylor mentioned that he hadn’t been informed about the officials’ decision to stop play if Garrett reached his milestone. His anger was palpable, particularly given the circumstances, as his team was still fighting hard despite already being eliminated from playoff contention after a prior loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

“We have five minutes left in our season,” he said. “We’re playing for our lives, and we were never told the game would be paused at such a crucial time.” He felt that stopping the play disrupted their momentum while they were attempting to execute a fast-paced offense.

Taylor reiterated that he had received no prior notice about this plan during discussions with referees before the game began. “It was clear they decided to stop it if something significant happened, but I wasn’t privy to that information,” he stated.

Garrett had entered the match needing just one sack to break the existing NFL single-season record of 22.5 sacks, previously held by Michael Strahan and TJ Watt.

As the game approached the end, Garrett was poised to make history, and Taylor emphasized that his team was ready to continue playing. He recalled yelling at quarterback Joe Burrow to get back to the line to keep the momentum going, only to find the referee holding up play.

Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Taylor acknowledged the challenges of the game, realizing the Browns would make it tough, but he remained determined to push for victory.