Joe Burrow and the Bengals are establishing a better under center offense

CINCINNATI (AP) — For years, the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense has had Joe Burrow lining up in the shotgun at a high rate.

Entering 2026, the Bengals are set up to have Burrow line up under center more than he has in years past.

The Bengals had Burrow line up under center much more often in training camp this summer and Burrow likes the development.

Still, the Bengals won’t be able to know what they really have with their under center offense until the season starts on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“It’s been good,” Burrow said. “It’s hard to tell in practice because you’re not tackling, and a big part of the under center is the run game, and in the run game you have to break tackles to make it go, so we’ll see come the first game. But we’ve invested in it, and hopefully it pays off.”

Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher says that the trend around the NFL is that the most explosive offenses line up more often under center. That opens up a wider option of runs, and it creates opportunities to throw down the field on under center play-action passes.

While the Bengals offense has been good over the course of Burrow’s career, it hasn’t been explosive since the 2021 season.

Using more under center plays is a way to generate more of those explosive plays.

“I feel good about where we’re at schematically and everything,” coach Zac Taylor said. “We know what we’ve got to do to win these games. Every week’s a little different based on who we’re gonna play, but I feel like we’ve got a good inventory to draw from, and that can help us be successful.”

Bengals offensive line coach Scott Peters has been drilling under center blocking techniques with the offensive linemen all summer. The Bengals look as if they have the strongest offensive line of Burrow’s career this season. As a result, the coaching staff can expect that unit to create push in the running game when the Bengals look to establish more of a power offense.

“We’re progressing,” Peters said. “The emphasis of the offense working more under center, it’s something that hasn’t been as much of an emphasis in years past. The guys have done well. The run game is really coming along for sure. We’ve spent a lot of time emphasizing our run game under center. With that, we’ve developed those techniques. The guys have done well.”

The X factor for the Bengals’ under center offense could be tight end Erick All Jr.

In 2024, All’s rookie season, the Bengals started dabbling with more under center runs as All’s role increased. But right as those concepts started to really become a part of the offense’s identity, All suffered a torn ACL that kept him out for the rest of the 2024 season as well as all of 2025.

All is back in 2026, and he brings a unique skill set to the Bengals’ tight end room. He gives the offense the ability to play with a more powerful style.

“If I’m on the field and I’m playing and I’m blocking, I’m out there to try to win and be the guy that’s willing to go through hell and back to put the team in a better opportunity to win,” All said. “I want to be who I am. Be a dog when I get the opportunity to inline block. I want to show these guys I can put my hand in the ground and get after some big-name guys on the defensive side.”

While the Bengals can use more under center concepts this season, the strength of the offense is Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and the passing game. Still, the under center plays can give opposing defenses a different look and keep the offense more consistent.

“I can do whatever is asked of me,” Burrow said. “I have, and and I will. We haven’t done (under center) quite as much over the last several years, and we’ll see what we evolve into this year. But if that’s what’s needed, that’s what I’ll do.”

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