Last Updated on November 3, 2026 by Tanos Potter
Zac Taylor is an American professional football coach who serves as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL. Born on May 10, 1983, in Norman, Oklahoma, Taylor played college football at the University of Nebraska before beginning a coaching career that eventually led him to Cincinnati in 2019.
Beyond his successful coaching career, Taylor is a husband and father of four children who comes from a family with deep connections to American football. His wife is Sarah Sherman Taylor, the daughter of former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike Sherman. Together, they have two sons, Brooks and Luke, and two daughters, Emma Claire and Milly.
Taylor’s parents are Sherwood and Julie Taylor, while his siblings include his younger brother, Press Taylor, and two sisters, Kathryn and Quincy. His father played college football at the University of Oklahoma, and Press has also established a professional career as an NFL coach.
Zac Taylor’s Wife: Sarah Sherman Taylor
Zac Taylor is married to Sarah Sherman Taylor, who grew up in a family closely connected to professional football.
Sarah is the daughter of Mike Sherman, the former head coach of the Green Bay Packers and Texas A&M University, and his wife, Karen Sherman.
Because her father worked in professional and college football, Sarah became familiar with the demanding lifestyle of a football coach’s family from an early age.
She experienced several family relocations during childhood because of her father’s coaching responsibilities.
Those experiences eventually helped prepare her for life as the wife of an NFL coach.
How Did Zac Taylor Meet His Wife?
Zac Taylor and Sarah Sherman first met at the University of Nebraska during the 2005 college football season.
At the time, Taylor was the starting quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, while Sarah worked as a graduate assistant in the university’s athletic media relations department.
According to a December 2018 interview with Sports Illustrated, Taylor first noticed Sarah after a football practice.
He recalled seeing her wearing a yellow dress near the practice field and initially assumed she was significantly older than him.
However, he later discovered that they were approximately the same age.
As they continued encountering each other around campus, their friendship gradually developed into a romantic relationship.
The couple remained together after Taylor completed his college football career and began exploring opportunities in professional football and coaching.
When Did Zac Taylor Marry Sarah Sherman?
Zac Taylor and Sarah Sherman married in 2008, approximately three years after meeting at Nebraska.
Before proposing, Taylor traveled to Houston, Texas, to ask Sarah’s father, Mike Sherman, for permission to marry his daughter.
At the time, Sherman was working as an assistant coach with the Houston Texans.
According to a February 2022 Houston Texans feature, Taylor arranged to meet Sherman during a particularly busy period surrounding the NFL Draft.
He flew to Houston and visited the team’s facilities, where Sherman was attending meetings and discussing football with colleagues.
After waiting for an opportunity to speak privately, Taylor eventually asked for his blessing in the Texans’ cafeteria.
Sherman approved, allowing Taylor to proceed with his marriage proposal.
The couple subsequently married in 2008, beginning a family life that would include several relocations as Taylor pursued coaching opportunities.
How Sarah Taylor Supports Her Husband’s Coaching Career
Sarah Taylor has remained an important source of support throughout her husband’s professional football career.
Following their marriage, Taylor began working at Texas A&M University under his father-in-law, Mike Sherman.
He subsequently held coaching positions with the Miami Dolphins, University of Cincinnati and Los Angeles Rams before becoming Cincinnati’s head coach.
During those transitions, Sarah supported the family’s relocations while raising their children.
In a 2019 interview with Cincinnati television station WCPO, Zac praised his wife for maintaining stability in their household despite the demands of his coaching career.
He explained that Sarah managed many of the family’s daily responsibilities, particularly those involving their children’s education and activities.
Her familiarity with professional football also helped her understand the pressures associated with her husband’s work.
Sarah has continued supporting Taylor at Bengals games and important community events.
During Cincinnati’s run to Super Bowl LVI in February 2022, she was among the family members celebrating the team’s achievement.
Zac Taylor’s Children
Zac Taylor and his wife, Sarah, have four publicly confirmed children: two sons named Brooks and Luke, and two daughters named Emma Claire and Milly.
The Cincinnati Bengals officially confirmed all four children’s names in Taylor’s coaching biography and during his introductory press conference in February 2019.
Brooks Taylor: Zac Taylor’s Oldest Son
Brooks Taylor is Zac and Sarah Taylor’s oldest son.
He was born around 2010 or 2011, during the period when his father was working as an assistant coach at Texas A&M University.
Growing up in a football-oriented household, Brooks became familiar with professional and college football from an early age.
According to a 2023 NFL feature examining the Taylor family’s upbringing, Zac wanted his children to experience the same neighborhood friendships and sporting activities he enjoyed while growing up in Norman, Oklahoma.
Before choosing a family home in Cincinnati, Taylor and Brooks explored the neighborhood together and counted basketball hoops to determine whether other children lived nearby.
They discovered several basketball hoops, which helped convince them that the neighborhood would provide opportunities for Brooks and his siblings to make friends and participate in outdoor games.
The story reflects Taylor’s interest in providing his children with a childhood that includes sports, friendships and family activities.
Luke Taylor: Zac Taylor’s Second Son
Luke Taylor is the second son of Zac and Sarah Taylor.
He was born after Brooks and has grown up alongside his siblings during his father’s coaching career.
Luke was publicly introduced alongside his older brother during Zac Taylor’s first press conference as Cincinnati Bengals head coach on February 5, 2019.
At the event, Bengals president Mike Brown acknowledged Brooks and Luke, who attended with their mother.
Like his siblings, Luke has experienced the unusual childhood circumstances associated with having a father who works as an NFL head coach.
Although the family occasionally appears at public football events, Zac and Sarah generally avoid sharing extensive personal information about their children’s private lives.
Emma Claire Taylor: Zac Taylor’s Older Daughter
Emma Claire Taylor is the older daughter of Zac and Sarah Taylor.
Her name was publicly confirmed during her father’s introductory press conference with the Cincinnati Bengals in February 2019.
At the time, Bengals president Mike Brown described Emma Claire as three years old.
This places her birth around 2015 or 2016, during the period when Taylor was working with the Miami Dolphins.
Emma Claire grew up alongside her two older brothers and younger sister while her father pursued his NFL coaching career.
Although her parents have occasionally shared family moments publicly, detailed information about Emma Claire’s education and personal interests remains private.
Milly Taylor: Zac Taylor’s Youngest Daughter
Milly Taylor is the youngest child of Zac and Sarah Taylor.
She was born in 2018, during the period when her father was working with the Los Angeles Rams.
During Taylor’s introductory press conference in February 2019, Bengals president Mike Brown mentioned that Milly was approximately nine months old.
Her birth came shortly before Taylor accepted the Cincinnati head coaching position, meaning she has spent much of her childhood in the Bengals’ community.
In a March 2023 interview published by the Bengals, Taylor discussed how quickly his family had grown since he arrived in Cincinnati.
The article mentioned that Milly was approaching her fifth birthday and described her as an energetic member of the household.
Like her older siblings, Milly has generally remained outside extensive public attention.
How Many Children Does Zac Taylor Have?
As of now, Zac Taylor has four publicly confirmed children with his wife, Sarah.
The couple’s children are Brooks, Luke, Emma Claire and Milly.
Taylor has publicly emphasized the importance of spending time with his children despite the demanding schedule associated with coaching professional football.
In June 2023, he explained that he wanted his children to remember him as a father who made family a priority, spent meaningful time with them and helped them learn how to handle difficult situations.
His comments came after he received a Father of the Year honor from Talbert House in Cincinnati.
Zac Taylor’s Parents
Zac Taylor’s Father: Sherwood Taylor
Zac Taylor’s father is Sherwood Taylor, a former college football player and coach who has played an important role in his son’s professional development.
Sherwood attended the University of Oklahoma, where he played defensive back under legendary head coach Barry Switzer.
He was a member of the Sooners football program from 1976 through 1979 and served as a team captain.
Following his playing career, Sherwood pursued coaching opportunities at Oklahoma and Kansas State University.
He worked as an assistant coach and gained experience developing defensive players.
However, after several years in college coaching, Sherwood decided to leave the profession to spend more time with his wife and children.
The family settled in Norman, Oklahoma, where Sherwood remained actively involved in his children’s education and sporting activities.
How Sherwood Taylor Influenced His Son’s Coaching Career
Sherwood Taylor played an important role in introducing Zac and his younger brother, Press, to American football.
After leaving college coaching, he began coaching his sons’ youth football and basketball teams.
According to a 2019 Cincinnati Bengals family feature, Sherwood frequently taught his sons about offensive formations, quarterback mechanics and football strategy.
Rather than simply watching games together, the family discussed plays and examined why particular decisions succeeded or failed.
These experiences helped Zac develop an understanding of football long before he became a college quarterback.
In a June 2023 interview with Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services, Taylor identified his father as his primary role model.
He praised Sherwood’s patience, teaching ability and quiet approach to leadership.
Those qualities influenced the coaching philosophy Taylor later developed in the NFL.
Sherwood also remained supportive after his sons entered professional coaching, regularly attending games and following their progress.
Zac Taylor’s Mother: Julie Taylor
Zac Taylor’s mother is Julie Taylor, who helped raise four children in Norman, Oklahoma.
Julie and her husband, Sherwood, emphasized education, family relationships and participation in sports throughout their children’s upbringing.
While Sherwood introduced Zac and Press to football, Julie provided emotional support and helped maintain stability in the household.
She has remained closely involved in her children’s lives as they pursued different interests and careers.
During Taylor’s introductory press conference in February 2019, he publicly acknowledged his mother’s encouragement.
He recalled that Julie had believed in his abilities even when he was a college quarterback and had predicted that he might win the Heisman Trophy.
Although the prediction never became reality, Taylor appreciated the confidence she had always shown in him.
Julie Taylor’s Support for Her Sons
Julie Taylor has experienced the unusual situation of having two sons working as NFL coaches.
Zac became head coach of the Bengals in 2019, while his younger brother Press pursued his own coaching career with several NFL organizations.
During the 2022 and 2023 NFL seasons, the brothers’ teams competed against one another, creating challenging situations for their parents.
In interviews published by the Cincinnati Bengals, Sherwood explained that Julie found these games emotionally difficult because one of her sons would inevitably be disappointed.
Nevertheless, she remained proud of both children and their achievements.
The family continued attending important games and supporting both coaching careers.
Zac Taylor’s Siblings
Zac Taylor has three publicly confirmed siblings: a younger brother named Press Taylor and two younger sisters named Kathryn Taylor and Quincy Taylor.
Their identities were confirmed in detailed family reporting published by the Cincinnati Bengals and NFL.com.
Press Taylor: Zac Taylor’s Younger Brother
Press Taylor is Zac Taylor’s younger brother and an American football coach.
Born on January 13, 1988, Press grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, alongside his older brother and two sisters.
Like Zac, he developed a strong interest in football while watching his father coach and participating in neighborhood games.
Press later attended Marshall University, where he played college football as a quarterback.
After completing his playing career, he pursued coaching opportunities and eventually entered the NFL.
He worked with the Philadelphia Eagles, serving in several offensive coaching positions.
Press was part of Philadelphia’s coaching staff when the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII in February 2018.
He subsequently worked with the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars.
As of now, the Cincinnati Bengals’ official coaching biography identifies Press as the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears.
The Relationship Between Zac Taylor and Press Taylor
Zac and Press Taylor developed a close relationship through their shared interest in football.
Growing up, the brothers regularly played competitive games with neighborhood friends and learned football fundamentals from their father.
Both eventually became college quarterbacks before entering coaching.
In an NFL.com family feature published in 2023, Press described his older brother as one of his closest friends.
The brothers have continued discussing football throughout their professional careers, although coaching opposing teams sometimes requires them to keep strategic information private.
Their relationship became particularly interesting when Cincinnati faced Jacksonville while Press was working for the Jaguars.
Those games created a family rivalry, with Sherwood and Julie supporting both sons despite the competition.
Kathryn Taylor: Zac Taylor’s Sister
Kathryn Taylor is Zac Taylor’s younger sister and an accomplished Special Olympics swimmer.
According to an official Cincinnati Bengals feature published in July 2019, Kathryn is approximately 22 months younger than Zac.
She grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and became an important part of the family’s sporting activities.
Kathryn has participated in swimming competitions through the Special Olympics and earned numerous medals.
In a 2023 NFL family feature, her father explained that she had won at least 60 gold medals in local and state Special Olympics competitions.
Her achievements made her another successful athlete in the Taylor family.
Kathryn has also developed friendships with coaches, players and other individuals connected to the football world.
During Zac’s college coaching journey, she occasionally offered humorous suggestions about football plays and game strategy.
Her outgoing personality has been publicly celebrated by her parents and siblings.
The family’s relationship with Kathryn has also influenced their involvement in Special Olympics activities and community programs.
Quincy Taylor: Zac Taylor’s Youngest Sister
Quincy Taylor is the youngest of Sherwood and Julie Taylor’s four children.
Like her brothers and sister, Quincy grew up in a household where competitive sports and physical activity were encouraged.
According to an NFL.com family feature published in 2023, she participated in track and field and volleyball during high school.
Quincy was particularly accomplished in the high jump and also competed in running events.
Her involvement in athletics continued the sporting tradition established by her father and older siblings.
Quincy was among the family members who attended Zac Taylor’s introductory press conference after he became Cincinnati’s head coach in February 2019.
Although she has appeared in public family reporting, reliable sources provide limited information about her later professional career and personal life.
Zac Taylor’s Father-in-Law: Mike Sherman
Zac Taylor’s father-in-law is Mike Sherman, a former NFL and college football head coach.
Sherman served as head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 2000 through 2005.
During his time in Green Bay, he worked with legendary quarterback Brett Favre and helped the Packers reach the playoffs several times.
After leaving Green Bay, Sherman joined the Houston Texans as an offensive assistant.
He later became head coach of Texas A&M University, serving from 2008 through 2011.
Sherman played an important role in helping Taylor begin his professional coaching career.
In 2008, he hired Taylor as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M.
That opportunity allowed Taylor to gain experience working with college quarterbacks and offensive coaching systems.
The two later worked together with the Miami Dolphins, where Sherman served as offensive coordinator and Taylor coached quarterbacks.
Although their relationship began through family connections, Taylor eventually established an independent coaching career that led him to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Zac Taylor’s Family Life in Cincinnati
Zac Taylor and his wife, Sarah, have made Cincinnati an important home for their family since he became Bengals head coach in 2019.
The couple wanted their four children to grow up in a welcoming community with opportunities to participate in sports and develop lasting friendships.
In a 2023 interview with Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services, Taylor described spending his offseason playing pickleball with his wife and friends.
He also mentioned enjoying board games, puzzles and television programs with his family.
Much of his time away from football involves attending his children’s sporting activities, including basketball tournaments, baseball games and dance competitions.
Despite his demanding professional schedule, Taylor has emphasized that spending time with his children remains an important personal priority.
Zac Taylor’s Father of the Year Award
On June 8, 2023, Zac Taylor received the Father of the Year honor during Talbert House’s Fatherhood Celebration in Cincinnati.
The annual event recognizes individuals who demonstrate commitment to responsible and supportive fatherhood.
Taylor’s father, Sherwood, introduced him during the celebration.
A video featuring his wife, Sarah, and their four children was shown before Taylor delivered his speech.
During the event, Taylor explained that he hoped his children would remember him as a father who made them a priority and actively participated in their lives.
He also emphasized the importance of teaching children how to treat other people and respond to adversity.
The award reflected his commitment to fatherhood while balancing the responsibilities of leading an NFL organization.
Frequently Asked Questions About Zac Taylor’s Family
Who is Zac Taylor’s wife?
Zac Taylor’s wife is Sarah Sherman Taylor, the daughter of former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike Sherman. They married in 2008.
How did Zac Taylor meet his wife?
He met Sarah Sherman at the University of Nebraska in 2005 while he was playing quarterback and she was working in athletic media relations.
Does Zac Taylor have children?
Yes. Zac Taylor and his wife, Sarah, have four children: Brooks, Luke, Emma Claire and Milly.
Who are Zac Taylor’s sons?
His sons are Brooks Taylor and Luke Taylor.
Who are Zac Taylor’s daughters?
His daughters are Emma Claire Taylor and Milly Taylor.
Who is Zac Taylor’s father?
His father is Sherwood Taylor, a former University of Oklahoma defensive back and college football coach.
Who is Zac Taylor’s mother?
His mother is Julie Taylor, who raised four children with her husband, Sherwood, in Norman, Oklahoma.
Does Zac Taylor have siblings?
Yes. Zac Taylor has three siblings: Press Taylor, Kathryn Taylor and Quincy Taylor.
Is Press Taylor related to Zac Taylor?
Yes. Press Taylor is Zac Taylor’s younger brother. Both are professional football coaches who previously played college quarterback.
Who is Zac Taylor’s sister Kathryn?
Kathryn Taylor is his younger sister and an accomplished Special Olympics swimmer who has earned numerous gold medals.
Who is Zac Taylor’s youngest sister?
His youngest sister is Quincy Taylor, who participated in high school track and field and volleyball.
Is Zac Taylor related to Mike Sherman?
Yes. Mike Sherman is Zac Taylor’s father-in-law and the father of his wife, Sarah Sherman Taylor.
Where is Zac Taylor’s family from?
Zac Taylor was born and raised in Norman, Oklahoma. He now lives with his family in the Cincinnati area.
When was Zac Taylor born?
Zac Taylor was born on May 10, 1983, in Norman, Oklahoma.
Which NFL team does Zac Taylor coach?
As of now, Zac Taylor is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, a position he has held since February 2019.
Tanos Potter is a sports journalist and NFL analyst dedicated to bringing fans closer to the gridiron through deep tactical analysis and roster coverage. He breaks down offensive and defensive schemes, quarterback performance, trade moves, and top Draft prospects. Tracking action across both the AFC and NFC, Tanos translates complex playbooks and statistics into engaging, actionable insights for football enthusiasts.
