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Everyone expected Marvin Lewis to move on after the 2017 season. It took a while for the team to make a decision, but they’ll keep Lewis around for 2018 after signing him to a two-year extension.
Cincinnati Bengals president Mike Brown made the news official on Tuesday. “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 Brown on the team’s website. “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.”
“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.” –Marvin Lewis
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 2, 2018
Rumors started circulating during Week 15 that Lewis’ time in Cincinnati was coming to an end. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Lewis would leave coaching and pursue other opportunities. Lewis denied it.
Black Monday came and went without a decision on Lewis’ future. Lewis’ contract is up with Cincinnati, but he said that the situation is more complicated than Brown offering him an extension and Lewis accepting.
"There's a direction the owner wants to have. ... And if his direction is different than my direction, then that's probably not good,” Lewis said, via ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. “We just have to make sure we're all on the same page."
The Bengals took a 34-7 loss to the Vikings on the Sunday that the rumors surfaced. They did manage to spoil the Ravens’ postseason hopes with a thrilling Week 17 win, sending the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs for the first time since 1999.
Why is Lewis sticking around? The Bengals value continuity above all else. Lewis has been a stabilizing presence since being hired in 2003, giving the organization some much-needed respect and dignity after an embarrassing run of ineptitude in the 90s. While he’s most known for never winning a playoff game, Lewis owns a 125-112-3 record in Cincy, reaching the postseason seven times with four division titles.
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Since signing with the Bengals, Lewis has worked with a number of assistants and coordinators in Cincinnati who have gone on to have success elsewhere. There are a number of former Lewis proteges who are current NFL head coaches, including Mike Zimmer, Hue Jackson, Jay Gruden, and Vance Joseph.
Last season, the Bengals finished 6-9-1 and missed the postseason. The Bengals opted to not extend Lewis’ contract after his first sub-.500 season since 2010, so it was set to expire after the 2017 season. This became a prove-it year. The Bengals finished 7-9 — their second straight losing year. Despite the Bengals underachieving again, they’ll be giving Lewis another shot to turn things around and get back in playoff contention.
Of course, Bengals fans aren’t happy about the whole thing.
What’s next for the coaching carousel? Many people assumed for weeks that the Bengals’ head coaching job would be opening up, but this news obviously puts an end to that. As of Tuesday, there are still only six teams searching for new head coaches. Upcoming candidates hoping to work with the likes of A.J. Green, Geno Atkins, and Andy Dalton will have to look elsewhere for their next coaching shot.
Lewis might have some turnover on his coaching staff, though. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther will leave after his contract expired and is rumored to be joining Jon Gruden in Oakland.