Lions Coaching Rumor: Ex-Bengals Head Man Marvin Lewis a Possible Candidate
If the Lions are truly looking for experience with their next head coach, there's one potential candidate that undoubtedly offers a ton of it.
His name: Marvin Lewis.
Lewis served as the head man of the Cincinnati Bengals from 2003-2018, and compiled a 131-122-3 record in 256 games.
Before getting the Bengals job, he most notably served as the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens from 1996-2001 and as the defensive play-caller of the then-Washington Redskins for a lone season in 2002.
His biggest downfall as an NFL head man was his lack of playoff success.
He failed to record a single postseason victory in seven trips to the league's "second season."
Three straight losing campaigns led to the end of his tenure in Cincinnati.
Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports
In his latest mailbag for the Detroit Free Press, Lions beat writer Dave Birkett expressed Lewis is a candidate the organization "may have already talked to."
He wouldn't be viewed as a home-run hire by the team's fanbase. But, you can't take away from Lewis the success he garnered with the Bengals -- a franchise that hadn't had a winning season or postseason appearance since 1990 prior to his hiring.
Meanwhile, Lewis, the Associated Press' 2009 NFL Coach of the Year, guided the organization to an AFC North division crown and a subsequent playoff appearance in just his third season on the job.
If he could do the same in Detroit -- with the present downtrodden state of the franchise taken into account -- Sheila Ford Hamp and the team's ownership group would have to give some consideration to building a statue outside of Ford Field for him.
All kidding aside, the veteran head man, who is currently the co-defensive coordinator for Herm Edwards and the Arizona State Sun Devils, deserves a second shot as an NFL head coach, and the Lions could do a lot worse than him.
I just don't see it happening in the Motor City for the 62-year-old.
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