Bengals sign Lewis to contract extension

The Cincinnati Bengals have signed head coach Marvin Lewis to a one-year contract extension that runs through the 2016 season.

The move keeps Lewis from entering this season as a lame-duck coach, something the Bengals have avoided through most of Lewis' run as coach, which began in 2003.

The NFL's second-longest tenured coach with the same team, Lewis is 100-90-2 in the regular season but 0-6 in the postseason, including four consecutive first-round losses and five in the last six years.

“We have worked together with Marvin for many years, things are going well for the team, and Marvin deserves credit for that,” Bengals president Mike Brown said in a statement. “The extension reflects our confidence in him and how things look to us as we move forward. We are happy to have reached this agreement.”

Lewis has won more games and coached more games than anyone in Bengals history. New England's Bill Belichick is the only active NFL coach who has been with his current team longer.

“I appreciate the commitment by management to the direction of our team,” Lewis said. “It’s gratifying to our coaching staff and to me personally. The stakes get higher each and every year, and the return of our players this week for the start of offseason work has stoked our fires. I’m excited to continue our pursuit of greatness and to be World Champions.”

The Bengals have reached double digits in wins each of the last three seasons, and their 31 total victories are tied for fifth in the NFL over that span.

About the Author