Bengals expected to hire Jim Turner as OL coach

The Cincinnati Bengals are rumored to be hiring one of Zac Taylor’s former colleagues as their offensive line coach.

Paul Dehner Jr. of cincinnati.com is reporting that sources believe Jim Turner will get the job.

Sources indicate those expected to join the staff from the outside are James Casey (tight ends) and current Texas A&M offensive line coach Jim Turner filling the same role in Cincinnati.

Turner was hired as Texas A&M University’s offensive line coach in 2008, the same year that Taylor was brought on as a graduate assistant under his father-in-law Mike Sherman. When Sherman left for the Miami Dolphins in 2012, both Taylor and Turner followed him. Taylor became the assistant quarterbacks coach, Turner became the offensive line coach.

Taylor lasted longer with the Dolphins than Turner did because of what happened in Turner’s second season. Remember the Johnathan Martin-Richie Incognito situation? That all happened under Turner’s watch. Hell, he even partook in the bullying of Martin:

During the 2012 Christmas season, Coach Turner gave all of the offensive linemen gift bags that included a variety of stocking stuffers. In each gift bag except for Player A’s, Turner included a female “blow-up” doll; Player A’s bag included a male doll. Martin and another player were surprised that Turner did this; Martin further said that he was offended that Turner had endorsed the humiliating treatment of Player A by participating in it. Incognito and others agreed that this incident with Coach Turner occurred. When interviewed, Turner was asked if he gave Player A a male blow-up doll. He replied, “I can’t remember.” We do not believe that Turner forgot this incident, which many others recalled.

Turner was fired by the Dolphins in 2014 for his actions listed and recorded in NFL investigator Ted Wells’ report of the Martin-Incognito case. Turner had trouble finding another coaching job, rightfully so, and a year later sued Wells for defamation. The lawsuit was dropped accordingly, but Turner found work again, along with more trouble.

When he returned to Texas A&M in 2016 as their offensive line coach, Turner was suspended before the season even began for sexist and inappropriate jokes used in a football clinic for women. Nevertheless, he’s been with the school for the past three seasons.

It would make a lot more sense for Taylor wanting to hire Turner if Turner wasn’t a known degenerate. How this guy is still able to work in football or in any capacity is beyond comprehension, and that’s just because of who he’s shown to be as a person.

The Dolphins’ offensive line under his watch was never good, and while Texas A&M has gotten numerous offensive lineman that were recruited when he was there, most of them haven’t turned out to be particularly good. Bengals fans should know the worst example of this reality in Cedric Ogbuehi.

Turner would not be a good hire for the Bengals, and if he becomes the guy because he’s Taylor’s preference, then that should put Taylor in the red immediately.