The Jermaine Burton experiment in Cincinnati has officially ended in failure. The Cincinnati Bengals made a big decision to release their hyped receiver after two years of trouble. Head coach Zac Taylor announced the decision on Monday, December 8, after both sides agreed to move forward on their paths.

“We’re releasing Jermaine today. We’re going to release him and move on and wish him the best. Everybody worked really hard at it and wish him the best. Hopefully, he gets a change of scenery and can do good things for him,” Taylor said.

The Bengals first suspended him on Saturday, December 6, and released him on Monday. When reporters tried to find out why they suspended Burton, Zac Taylor refused to comment.

“I won’t get into that. We’re going to release him today,” the head coach said.

They drafted him in the third round (80th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft, knowing the past instances of troubled behavior. After a game against Tennessee in 2022, he struck a female fan in the head. The receiver later apologized for the incident. However, the issues continued even after the Bengals drafted him.

The issues first popped up after a missed walkthrough before the Week 9 game. Two separate alleged violence incidents in December 2024 further intensified the situation. Burton did not make any trips with the franchise before its season-ending game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Clearly, Zac Taylor had trust issues with the receiver.

Burton failed to impress with his performance in 2024, with only four receptions for 107 yards with no touchdowns in 14 games (one start). This season, he kept struggling with injuries and did not play any games. The locker room, including QB Joe Burrow, hoped he would come back. But Zac Taylor has officially ended any hopes of his return.

The quarterback fully supported him, but to no avail. The receiver did not properly take advantage of the chances the Bengals gave him, ending their association.

Jermaine Burton disappointed the Bengals’ locker room

In the offseason, Burrow sparked hope of Burton’s comeback by saying that the receiver’s changed approach will benefit the locker room. That never happened!

“(Burton) has taken it very seriously, has matured, it seems like. That’s exciting to see. Based on the conversations that we have had, he’s in a good spot mentally and physically,” Burrow said. “And he’s been working hard, which is exciting to see.”

Issues in 2025 ensured Burton never made a good impression on Zac Taylor. He was late for Week 4 practice before missing games recently because of injuries and illness. The receiver hoped to be an on-field contributor for the team, but the locker room wasn’t happy.

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Zac Taylor finally pulled the plug on the situation by suspending him. It might be the start of restructuring in the franchise, whose season has been marred by injuries.