Marvin Lewis changed the culture of professional football in Cincinnati. After being hired’ head coach in 2005, Lewis guided the team to the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons. In 2006, his efforts where rewarded with a contract extension through the 2010 season. However, Lewis and the Bengals have currently fallen on hard times. After six weeks of play in the 2008 season, the Bengals joined the Detroit Lions as the only winless teams in the NFL.
Although coach Lewis has done a formidable job in prior years of getting the best out of his players on the field, several players have dealt with criminal issues off-field that have served as distractions for the team. The disciplining of players has created a rift between Lewis and the team’s owner Mike Brown. Months after Lewis suspended troubled wide receiver Chris Henry [who has been arrested five times since being drafted in 2005], Brown reinstated Henry in an act that undermined Lewis’ authority.Furthermore, starting quarterback Carson Palmer has suffered through injuries and their running game has been ineffective.
As one of only six black coaches in the NFL, Lewis understands how important it is for him to succeed. Although he continues to feel the pressure with every loss, he possesses an unrelenting will that should get the Bengals back on the right track. “The biggest thing is going forward and making football plays,” Lewis says. “It’s important to get on the same page and take care of the football. I am very committed to doing the right thing here.”-amir shaw
