Former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is likely to get NFL interviews in the offseason.
With three NFL head coaches already fired during the 2020 season and more to come in the next month expect former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis to be a candidate in multiple places. Several NFL analysts have praised the job the former Cincinnati head coach did despite an 0-7 career playoff record.
In 16 years as the Cincinnati head coach, Lewis had 131 wins, 122 losses and three ties for a .518 winning percentage. Prior to Lewis being hired in 2003, Cincinnati was the worst organization in the NFL. ESPN analyst Field Yates highlighted the Bengals ineptitude before Lewis was hired as head coach.
Cincinnati was 48-144 in the 12 years prior to Lewis being hired following a successful run as the defensive coordinator with the rival Baltimore Ravens. The prior dozen years included six last-place finishes, no playoff appearances and no winning seasons and not even a .500 season.
Lewis changed everything with the Bengals except for postseason success. Cincinnati has not had a playoff win since 1990. The respect Lewis commanded throughout the entire organization and the changes he instituted throughout the franchise are why other NFL teams are considering hiring him as head coach.
It feels like many forget what the Bengals looked like before Marvin Lewis (and have since):
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 9, 2020
12 years prior to his hire: 48-144 (.250), 6 last place finishes, 0 playoff appearances, 0 winning seasons.
16 seasons with Lewis: 131-122-3 (.511) with seven playoff appearances. https://t.co/u5wDW6wTKi
Lewis was fired after three straight losing seasons and a 19-28-1 record. The 131 wins by Lewis are a franchise record. Lewis also holds the record for the most losses in franchise history and his .511 winning percentage is third all-time. The likelihood is that Cincinnati will not fire Zac Taylor after the season.
Marvin Lewis with the BENGALS: 131-122-3, four AFC North titles, seven playoff appearances.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) December 9, 2020
Bengals since Marvin Lewis departed: 5-23-1.
He is a head coach. He will get interviews. Legit interviews. https://t.co/jft3TtdLDv
Former FL player Damien Woody credited Lewis with improving the entire Bengals organization. The Cincinnati scouting department was basically created under Lewis and the indoor facility built. Having coaches as scouts were antiquated and not surprisingly frugal from owner Mike Brown.
Ppl on here have no clue what the Bengals were before Marvin Lewis got there lol....how the Bengals had bare bones of a scouting dept, coaches acted as scouts too. No indoor facility....I can keep going
— Damien Woody (@damienwoody) December 9, 2020
The next step for Cincinnati would be playoff success. The stamp Lewis put on the Bengals organization will remain. With Joe Burrow the future is bright. If Zac Taylor is kept as the head coach beyond the 2020 season, 2021 will be critical. A finish close to .500 in 2021 is needed as progress for the future.