Marvin Lewis isn’t going anywhere after all. On Tuesday, the Bengals announced that they have agreed to a two-year extension that will take him through the 2019 season. 
“Marvin Lewis has been an important member of the Cincinnati community and the Bengals family for the past 15 years, and we are happy to have reached this agreement,” said Bengals President Mike Brown. “Marvin has made significant contributions during his time here. While recently we have fallen short of our expectations, we have full confidence in Marvin to re-establish winning football in 2018.”
For a while, it appeared that Lewis and the Bengals were on a direct path to divorce. In December, it was reported that Lewis would leave Cincinnati to pursue opportunities elsewhere. Meanwhile, he admitted that he would be intrigued by an opportunity to be a GM. Apparently, that’s all ancient history.
“My family and I are very grateful for the opportunity to stay in Cincinnati and continue my career with the Bengals,” said Lewis. “My job is to win a World Championship. We have a talented roster full of veteran leaders and emerging young stars, and I am committed to making the necessary improvements to put this team in the best position to win.”
Had Lewis left, it was said that Browns head coach Hue Jackson and Redskins head coach Jay Gruden would have been leading candidates to replace him. Both men served as offensive coordinators in Cincinnati, which underscores the importance the team places on organizational familiarity. Although things were rocky between Lewis and the Bengals this year, the team has opted to bring him back for (at least) a 16th season.
The Bengals finished out 7-9 this year, missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year. However, under Lewis’ leadership, the Bengals have made the playoffs seven times, including five consecutive appearances from 2011-2015. Of course, Lewis has never gotten the Bengals past the Wild Card round.
He should have been fired
Ya 2 years ago
this isn’t Cleveland. One unexpected win and he gets an extension?
constant underperforming, character issues, gives up easily. those are the characteristics an ex wife uses to describe her ex in court not a successful coach of a football team.
What a joke. They sure as hell won’t improve beyond a 1 and done.
And we thought Cleveland was ….ed up. The losing and thuggery continues.
So all the Marvin Lewis bashers .. I disagree but not completely. He is a winning coach statistically .. he has a .527 winning percentage. Not great but it is winning. He does lack control of his players .. that needs improved. He needs to win in the playoffs. So there’s 2 ways to look at the fact he’s lost 7 playoff games. That means 7 years he made the playoffs. One thing we don’t know is how much control he had. He allegedly was not going to re-up unless he had more control of personnel. Maybe that can be what gets him over the playoff hump.
I do worry that the team needs to hear a new voice.
I agree he’s a decent coach but he can’t win with this group. They aren’t disciplined and he seems to be more laid back. this team needs a disciplinarian to lay down the law.
Or you just get rid of the problem players…
if this front office believed the players were an issue it would have happened. but they even drafted guys last year with character issues.
the one thing most Cinci fans can agree on is this teams chances of winning a super bowl with this group is like most characters from a story book.. a fairy tale.
So Cleveland makes the mind-boggingly stupid decision to retain Hue Jackson and Mike Brown responds with a “Oh yeah? Here, hold my beer.”
Two complete trainwreck franchises in Ohio.
Why is anyone surprised? Mike Brown inherited the team from his father and has always viewed it more as a family venture than a business. Marvin Lewis is part of that family. I don’t think Brown could bring himself to fire him.
Someone needs to buy the team (Carl Linder jr anyone, it only cost a mere 1 billion)
*iii
PSYCH!!!!
Take that downtrodden Bungles fans!! Almost had it.
Does he hold blackmailed photos of the owner cheating on his wife or something? Every time it looks like this guy is about to lose his job, he ends up getting an extension lol
The most undisciplined team in the NFL keeps the guy who did nothing to take care of the problem. But, I do kinda understand. Who else is gunna deal with that ownership group and the players they bring in.
I swear this man is gonna fall backwards into a Super Bowl appearance.
Clearly CinCin is content with being average. Makes no sense. It hasn’t worked for 15+ years… move him to a front office roll at least if they “love” him so much and find a new coach
Marv is simply a warden.