At 90 years old, most people have long since traded deadlines for golf courses and front offices for front porches. But for Cincinnati Bengals president Mike Brown, retirement apparently remains a foreign concept.
Brown is still at the Bengals’ facility every day, still involved, still watching, still working, and according to head coach Zac Taylor, the organization wouldn’t want it any other way.
Speaking this week on The Schrager Hour with Peter Schrager, Taylor offered insight into Brown’s continued
daily presence around the franchise and the impact it still has inside the building.
In an era where many NFL owners operate from a distance, Brown remains deeply connected to the team his family has run for decades. While his daughter Katie Blackburn and director of player personnel Duke Tobin have taken on larger day-to-day roles in recent years, Brown’s influence still looms large throughout the organization.
“Constant communication,” Taylor said. “They work in the building, they’re at practice every day. I wouldn’t have it any other way, because there’s nothing left unsaid. And it’s been really good for me to have all that experience. Mike Brown’s been around this profession for decades.”
Taylor made it clear that Brown’s commitment continues to resonate with players, coaches, and staff alike.
The Bengals coach praised Brown not only for his longevity, but for the consistency and passion he still brings to the organization after all these years. For a franchise that has undergone dramatic change during Taylor’s tenure (from perennial rebuilding team to Super Bowl contender), Brown’s constant presence has provided continuity behind the scenes.
That consistency has become increasingly important as the Bengals attempt to capitalize on their championship window around franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. Cincinnati aggressively reshaped its defense this year while trying to maintain the culture that fueled its rise in the AFC.
And through it all, Brown continues showing up every day.
For Taylor, that says everything.
