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More AFC North News: Bengals promote Dan Pitcher, new OC looking to continue to excel with Joe Burrow
The Cincinnati Bengals wasted no time filling their offensive coordinator vacancy after Brian Callahan was named new head coach of the Tennessee Titans. On Thursday, the team named quarterback’s coach Dan Pitcher as their new offensive coordinator.
Pitcher, who was named QB coach right before the team drafted Joe Burrow in the 2020 NFL Draft, will get an opportunity to continue to grow with the star quarterback and help the Bengals’ offense get back on track.
While the season ended without a playoff berth, the Bengals remained competitive after Burrow went down with a season-ending injury. Part of that reason was Pitcher who worked with backup quarterback Jake Browning to help him be effective stepping in for Burrow.
As far as his relationship with Burrow, this is a win for the Bengals as both the new OC and QB have learned and will continue to learn a lot from one another.
"Mutual respect. I've learned so much from him and I Iike to think he's learned a thing or two from me," Pitcher said per the team’s official website. "Listen, we've come up together."
Burrow was just as complimentary of Pitcher, which is one of the reasons Bengals head coach Zac Taylor kept the hiring process inhouse.
"He has excelled in his job of helping develop our quarterbacks over the past five years," Taylor says. "He has been a top contributor to our scheme and that role will now increase."
Pitcher was monumental in preparing Burrow during his rookie season, so this next step in his NFL career is truly an “ideal scenario” for the 37-year-old offensive coordinator.