Two Full-Circle Moments Await Former Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis in His Return to Cincinnati on Sunday

CINCINNATI – Marvin Lewis will be back in Paycor Stadium on Sunday, but the winningest coach in Cincinnati Bengals history is focusing less on the nostalgia of his return and more on doing what he wasn’t able to benefit from early in his career.

Lewis is the assistant head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, serving as a season advisor for first-year head coach Antonio Pierce in a role that is becoming a growing trend as the NFL moves to younger and younger head coaches.

The Bengals brought in Mark Duffner as senior defensive assistant when they hired Zac Taylor in 2019.

But Lewis didn’t have anyone like that when he came to Cincinnati in 2003.

“I was blessed to have Jim Anderson, a guy who had great experience, and a lot of the coaches had that kind of experience, but I didn't necessarily have that senior advisor person,” Lewis said.

The two head coaches he was closest to and would have been great resources, Bill Cowher and Brian Billick, weren’t going out of their way to help Lewis because they were division rivals.

“I remember coach (Dick) Vermeil calling me, Bill Parcells calling me and being a great help and offering great advice. “It meant a lot that these other coaches who knew me were calling to check on me. And I really appreciated that.”

Lewis was 44 when he took over the Bengals in 2003, but he had been an assistant for 13 years.

Pierce turned 46 this week, but he’s only in his third season as an NFL coach.

He and Lewis worked together at Arizona State for four seasons, and Lewis is invested in helping Pierce any way he can as the team navigates a disappointing 2-6 start to the season.

“I spend a lot of time with Antonio and meeting with his person who works in game management,” Lewis said. “They run things through me during the week, and they may ask me for advice. It's generally speak when spoken to.”

The last time the Raiders played a regular season game in Cincinnati, Lewis was coaching the Bengals and his tenure with the franchise was coming to a close.

It was Week 15 of the 2018 season, Lewis’ 16th and final one guiding the Bengals.

It would be the last of his franchise-record 131 victories, as the Bengals beat the Raiders 30-16.

It also was the last game he coached inside then-Paul Brown Stadium.

Lewis’ first return after parting way with the franchise in January 2019 came last September when he was on the field for Chad Johnson’s Ring of Honor ceremony.

“It’ll be different being on the other sideline,” he said. “At least that day I was on the home sideline.”

Though his focus is on helping Pierce and the Raiders snap a four-game losing streak to stay within reach of the No. 7 playoff seed, Lewis said there are some emotions involved with returning to Cincinnati.

“It was a special time for me and my family,” he said. “That part is gonna be special, those friendships and relationships, whether it was in the Bengals relationship or outside. It's pretty cool.”

Lewis’ record inside the stadium at 1 Paul Brown Way was 70-55-3 (.559).

Of the 70 wins, he said it’s easy to pick his favorite.

“I thought the game against the Chiefs in ’03 was kind of the defining moment to get everything started,” Lewis said, referring to the 24-19 victory against a Kansas City team that came to town 9-0.

Johnson predicted a victory in the days leading up to the game, and his teammates backed him up, and the Bengals rebounded from a 1-4 start to win six of their next seven games under their rookie head coach.

The Chiefs were 6-point favorites that day.

The Bengals are 7-point favorites Sunday.

Lewis is hoping he can be part of another big upset to help turn around a season for a rookie head coach.

“There are going to be emotions and nostalgia,” he said. “But we’re coming there to try to win a football game.”

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