Two long-time Cincinnati Bengals coaches have been relieved of their duties as head coach Zac Taylor continues to turnover the defensive side of his coaching staff. Per WLWT’s Charlie Clifford, senior defensive assistant Mark Duffner and defensive quality control coach Louie Cioffi were let go by the Bengals.
Duffner re-joined the Bengals as a senior defensive assistant as a part of Taylor’s initial staff back in 2019. He was the team’s linebackers coach from 1997-2000 and the defensive coordinator from 2001-02.
Bengals senior defense assistant Mark Duffner and defensive quality control coach Louie Cioffi also will not return to the team next season per source.
That makes five departures from Cincinnati’s 2024 staff on the defensive side of ball.
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) January 12, 2025
His most recent stint with the club was highlighted by his mantra “They Gotta Play Us,” which took off during the team’s 2021 run to the Super Bowl.
Cioffi joined the Bengals the same year as Duffner in 1997 and worked alongside him and then under him when the latter was promoted to DC. He stuck around through 2010 as an assistant defensive backs coach, and his return to the club came in 2021 as a quality control coach.
As Clifford mentions, the Bengals have now parted ways with five defensive coaches in total, including defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, defensive line coach Marion Hobby, and linebackers coach James Bettcher.
Duffner and Cioffi weren’t likely to be retained with a new DC coming in eventually, but their combined 30 years of coaching history in town make them notable departures.
The Bengals have interviewed at least two candidates to take Anarumo’s job, and former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus’ name is also “involved” in the ongoing search. Anarumo, Hobby, and Bettcher were officially fired on Monday.
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