NFL power rankings: Head coaches from 32-1

No. 20: Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals

Lewis always has the appearance of a lame-duck head coach, and this year he really is one heading into the final year of his contract. A series of one-year extensions on an annual basis has not yet come to fruition this year, and nearly six months ago now Lewis suggested a contract extension for him would “put everybody’s mind at ease going forward for their futures.” Truer words, however clichéd and a bit jumbled, have probably never been spoken by a head coach discussing his job status.

Lewis is the second-longest tenured head coach in the NFL, entering his 15th season with the Bengals. He also led the team to the playoffs five straight years from 2011-2015, and in six of seven seasons going back to 2009. But Cincinnati has not won a playoff game in over 26 years now when they beat the Houston Oilers with Boomer Esiason as their starting quarterback, and that zero in Lewis’ playoff win column is a black mark for him.

Lewis deserves a ton of credit for lasting as long as he has  Bengals’ head coach under notably tight-fisted owner Mike Brown. Last year’s disappointing 6-9-1 record is fresh on everyone in the organization’s mind, and the perpetual heat on Lewis’ seat is turned up a bit.

Lewis probably deserves better than the Bengals, and more specifically Brown. But don’t expect any public venting of frustration, as usual, and Lewis will continue to come off as almost too mild-mannered right to the end of his tenure.