Bengals Coach Zac Taylor Will Meet Jim Harbaugh For the First Time in 32 Years Sunday Night

Jay Morrison | Nov 11, 2024

Zac Taylor (right) and Press Taylor (left) take a photo at Soldier Field / The Taylors

CINCINNATI – The highlight of Zac Taylor’s news conference came when the Cincinnati Bengals head coach was asked if he’s had any memorable exchanges with Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, whom he will face Sunday night.

The two head coaches have never spoken as adults, but Taylor said he met Harbaugh as a 9-year-old kid.

“I went to my first ever NFL game – I think it was '92 Bears-Steelers,” Taylor said. “I got to go to a Saturday walkthrough, and I have a picture with Jim Harbaugh. Me, Press Taylor and Jim Harbaugh.”

That’s not the kind of memory that ever goes away, although Taylor admitted some of the memories are fuzzy.

The picture, on the other hand, may have been lost or buried away in an attic somewhere had it not been for the immense pride swelling inside of Taylor’s grandfather, Bill Burkett.

“He was all my kids’ biggest fan,” said Julie Taylor, Zac’s mother. “He would wear a Bengals/Eagles hat everywhere just so people would ask him why.”

Bill loved to tell everyone he had one son who was the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals and one who was the quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles.

That was in 2019, the year Burkett passed away.

But his pride predated Zac and Press moving into those jobs, which is why the picture is prominent in the Taylor home.

Zac Taylor (left) and Press Taylor Take a Picture With Jim Harbaugh / Image Courtesy Of the Taylors

“When I was in Miami, the picture showed up at my house autographed when I was with the Dolphins,” Tayor said. “I remember calling my mom and saying 'Why do I have an autographed Jim Harbaugh picture?'”

Julie told Zac that his grandfather thought Harbaugh needed to know that the two kids in the picture were now NFL coaches.

“She explained the whole situation, which I understood,” Taylor continued. “My grandfather's very proud.

“He kept sending it to the 49ers and was getting no response,” Zac added. “I'm sure a secretary or somebody eventually just signed it and sent it back.”

The meeting with Harbaugh took place Dec. 12, 1992, the day before the Bears played the Steelers in the final home game for Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary.

Taylor didn’t remember much from the game, other than it being cold.

But the Saturday walkthrough practice left an indelible memory.

“I remember The Fridge (defensive tackle William “The Refrigerator” Perry) riding around on a golf cart throwing snowballs at people,” Taylor said.

The Taylor boys also got their picture taken with Bears head coach Mike Ditka on the trip.

Zac Taylor (right) and Press Taylor (left) take a photo with Mike Ditka / Image Courtesy Of the Taylors

Taylor’s father Sherwood had coached at Kansas State with Russ Reiderer, who was the Bears physical development coordinator.

The Taylor family stayed with the Riederers, and Zac and Press got to take in their first ever NFL and NBA games.

The Bears were 4-9 and on a six-game losing streak, but they upset the 10-3 Steelers 30-6. Harbaugh was 11 of 21 for 90 yards and a touchdown, while PIttsburgh quarterback Bubby Brister was 14 of 31 for 143 yards and two interceptions.

Not that Zac remembers any of that.

"Very shaky memory as a 9-year-old," he said of the day when it was 32 degrees with a wind chill of 25. "Freezing. I remember 'Why are we here?' being the question I posed quite a bit."

Later that night, they watched  Michael Jordan drop 29 points on the Washington Bullets in a 113-110 victory as the Bulls rolled toward a second consecutive NBA title.

When Zac and Harbaugh chat on the field before Sunday night’s game, maybe he can ask him if he actually signed the picture.

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