After 15 seasons as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, Marvin Lewis is reportedly planning to leave the organization after this campaign ends.
The Bengals have never had so much stability, and yet so much heartache. Lewis has been with the team for 15 seasons, helping them go from the laughingstock of the NFL to a respected franchise, and then ultimately to a team of broken hearts and unfulfilled potential.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bengals will be looking for a new head coach come January, with Lewis deciding to step aside. It’s fair to wonder how much of this had to do with Lewis actually wanting to leave, and how much was owner/general manager Mike Brown telling Lewis his contract would not be renewed. Lewis was not signed past the end of this season.
After 15 seasons in Cincinnati, Marvin Lewis is planning to leave the Bengals after this season to pursue opportunities elsewhere, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2017
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All told, Lewis has a record of 123-111-3 with Cincinnati, the only team he has ever been a head coach of. The 59-year-old guided the Bengals to four AFC North titles and seven playoff appearances, only to lose in the Wild Card round each time. Cincinnati has not won a playoff game since 1990, when it defeated the Houston Oilers.
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As for Lewis’ future, it’s unclear what is in the cards. At 59, he’s young enough to still get another job, but retirement is also not far. Perhaps he rides off into the sunset, content with his Super Bowl ring as the defensive coordinator of the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, a champion with one of the best defenses to ever play.
Cincinnati will have a good candidate pool to choose from, including Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.