Report: A "Near Mutiny" Forced Marvin Lewis to Fire Offensive Coordinator Ken Zamepese
A "near mutiny" forced Bengals coach Marvin Lewis to fire former offensive coordinator Ken Zampese, a source reportedly told Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.
Florio reports that multiple Bengals said "pointed things" in private to Lewis, including the normally soft-spoken A.J. Green.
Zampese was fired on Friday after the Bengals failed to score a touchdown and managed only nine points total in their first two games, both losses. On Thursday night, the Bengals had 306 yards of offense en route to being beaten 13-9 by the Texans.
Zampese was in his second season in charge of the Bengals' offense after he took over for Hue Jackson, now head coach of the Browns, before last season. The Bengals finished 13th in yards last season but 24th in points scored.
Lewis is in his 15th season as head coach of the Bengals. He's amassed a 118-105-3 record and has reached the playoffs seven times, including a five-year stretch of consecutive postseason appearances that ended before last season. The Bengals have not won a playoff game with Lewis at the helm, posting an 0-7 mark in the AFC Wild Card game.
Lewis is the second longest-tenured current NFL coach—only Bill Belichick has been with his current team longer, as Belichick is in his 18th season with the Patriots.
