Marvin Lewis became the Cincinnati Bengals head coach in 2003. Lewis’s tenure with the Bengals was the second longest in the NFL in 2017. Here is a look at where Lewis ranks in Bengals history.
The idea that Marvin Lewis would not be the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018 wasn’t a foreign one to ownership inside 1 Paul Brown Stadium. You don’t let a head coach and his entire coaching staff head into a season in the final year of their deals without a “list.”
The Bengals have theirs.
The club likes to keep things tight to the vest, but the coaching waters around the franchise have been churning all year. The national report back on Dec. 17 that Lewis decided to move on in 2018 created whitecaps. Despite Lewis’ consistent denial he had made a decision on his future, national outlets like ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo! have proceeded to call the Bengals job open.
If the search for the 10th head coach in franchise history indeed begins this week, here is the BX list of potential candidates, culled from sources that have a pulse on both inside PBS and around the league:
Internal candidates
Paul Guenther, defensive coordinator
Guenther has been with the Bengals for 13 years and is in his fourth as defensive coordinator. He has experience on the offensive side of the ball in his early days with Washington, has coached special teams and is the latest of Lewis’ coordinators to find himself on the radar within the league. He was blocked by the Bengals from heading to Washington to start this season and there is a strong feeling that should he not be the next Bengals head coach he will be elsewhere in 2018.
Darrin Simmons, special teams coordinator
Simmons has also been with Lewis and the club since 2003, and he was the one tabbed to head practice for Lewis when the head coach missed time in training camp with a health issue. By nature of the position has Simmons working with offensive and defensive players for years bringing them together, including starters.
Bill Lazor, offensive coordinator
Promoted to the play calling position after Week 2, Lazor has proven to be detailed and thoughtful and some in the organization believe he has the makeup to be a head coach. Having now called plays for two organizations and with a strong coaching background, Lazor should impress in interviews.
Outside candidates
BX has learned who won’t be in play for the Bengals: Jon Gruden (should he decide to return to the sideline), New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Minnesota offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. BX believes they will have opportunities elsewhere that they find more appealing, for a variety of reasons.
That leaves the pickings thin for offensive minds but each of the following names would (or should) be considered not just in Cincinnati, but for any of the potential six to nine potential openings come the new year.
So, if the Bengals decide to totally move in a new direction, here ones to consider:
Matt Nagy, Kansas City offensive coordinator
Like any coordinator with a strong head coach, Nagy will have to prove just how much input he had in the Chiefs offense under Andy Reid – but Nagy was given a lot of credit for how successful the Chiefs offense was during their 5-0 start and in adjusting late in the year to help get the Chiefs rolling again heading into the playoffs. Alex Smith turned into a Pro Bowler with Nagy as his position coach and was early MVP candidate this year, which will make Nagy a compelling candidate for teams like the Bengals who feel they have a veteran quarterback in place.
Mike Vrabel, Houston defensive coordinator
The Akron native and Ohio State alumnus is a rising star in the business after a 14-year playing career that featured three Super Bowl victories. He went from coaching the Buckeyes linebackers to coaching that position in Houston in three years, and then just two years later San Francisco wanted him as their DC. Houston stepped up and promoted him, and he's clearly on the radar for teams as a quick-riser.
Kris Richard, Seattle defensive coordinator
A former defensive backs coach who molded the famed "Legion of Boom," Richard has been calling the Seahawks' defense since 2015, and he kept that unit at the top of the league in 2015 and 2016 and has managed to keep it effective this year despite losing almost the entire secondary due to injury, as well as managing injuries up front.
Frank Reich, Philadelphia offensive coordinator
The former Buffalo Bills backup quarterback is on his second turn as a play-caller, after spending 2014-15 in San Diego before being dismissed. He has been with Eagles head coach Doug Pederson the last two seasons and the team improved from 16th in scoring last year to one of the best in the league this year. They have also improved from 22nd on offense into the top three, and he’s proven he’s willing to hand the ball off. He also had one year with a top 10 offense in San Diego.
Harold Goodwin, Arizona offensive coordinator
He seems primed for a head job at this point after coordinating the Cardinals offense under Bruce Arians since 2013. Arians brought Goodwin with him from Indianapolis, where Goodwin coached the offensive line. With Carson Palmer, Goodwin's group peaked at No. 1 overall in the league in 2015.
Others to monitor: Mike Munchak, Pittsburgh offensive line coach; John DeFilippo, Philadelphia quarterbacks coach
Current head coaches
This is murky water, as two of the three names below have gotten very public, or private, endorsements from their owners. And all three names are on this list for the same reason – familiarity. But, considering who their owners and president of football operations are … they are worth keeping on the list. Just in case.
Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos
What a difference a year or two makes. At the end of the 2015 season, Joseph was the hottest name on the defensive coordinator market. At the end of 2016, he was one of the hottest names on the head coaching market. Now, after losing double-digit games in his first year as a head coach, the luster has worn off for some. Joseph is already the third head coach in seven years for Broncos president of football operations and general manager John Elway, and he hasn’t shown a tolerance for losing or having much patience.
Hue Jackson, Cleveland Browns
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam repeatedly and emphatically said Jackson will be his head coach in 2018 and 2019 when he hired new general manager John Dorsey.
But, that was before the possibility of just the second 0-16 season in NFL history loomed this large. The Browns are 1-30 under Jackson heading into this weekend.
Multiple league sources told The Enquirer they feel it would be hard for the Bengals to sell Jackson to the fan base with a winning percentage lower than David Shula’s, but there is a real feel inside Paul Brown Stadium that ownership could look past that and judge his candidacy on what he did for the Bengals as an assistant and a coordinator.
Jay Gruden, Washington
This was always a longshot as Gruden was the first coach Washington owner Dan Snyder extended with two years left on his deal – so the former Bengals offensive coordinator is under contract through 2020. And on Friday the NFL Network reported Gruden is safe. But, Snyder is mercurial and the future of quarterback Kirk Cousins is murky, so it’s worth watching how Snyder views Gruden after four years and one playoff berth.
Pro Football Weekly had Gruden as the Bengals’ top target should be become available, but that might have been overstating it. Should he suddenly be available however, it is true that ownership in Cincinnati is fond of him and would not put a career losing record in Washington completely on his shoulders. In fact, should Washington win on Sunday, Gruden would have a 25-22-1 record over the last three seasons after a 4-12 first season in 2014.
Others to watch: Mike Mularkey, Tennessee
College head coaches
BX believes the Bengals will focus in on NFL talent first should they be looking for a head coach, but they will not ignore the college ranks once the coaching carousel begins. Two hot names are Stanford’s David Shaw and Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, but BX believes Shaw isn’t ready to leave and Harbaugh, while he checks several boxes in terms of experience and a winning history, may not be a total fit in Cincinnati. Here is a preliminary list of college coaches to keep an eye out for as possible interview candidates:
- Brian Brohm, Purdue head coach
- Brian Kelly, Notre Dame head coach
- Matt Campbell, Iowa State head coach
The future of Bengals’ assistants
While the three coordinators will get their chance to interview should Lewis and the team part ways, that leaves an entire coaching staff wondering about their future.
But many won’t be looking for work long. In fact, some may be in line for greater roles either with a new head coach here in Cincinnati, with Lewis if he coaches in a new city, or elsewhere in the league. Here’s a quick look at the rising stars on the current staff and where they may project to in 2018:
James Urban, wide receivers coach
Urban is the new Mike Zimmer in that he’s had to wait too long to get a shot at the next level, and in Uban’s case that is calling plays as an offensive coordinator. Urban was with Andy Reid in Philadelphia from 2004-10 and coached Pro Bowl quarterbacks there, and he has been with Lewis here since 2011 and coached a Pro Bowl receiver. He knows the inner workings of a successful offense and has a personality that connects with players. He should be interviewing for OC spots this offseason at the very least.
Kyle Caskey, running backs coach
Say what you want about individual running styles, it’s hard to argue with the production and season long improvements of this group under Caskey. He has experience coaching on the offensive line and tight ends and could have future at either of those positions as well going forward. If he stays coaching running backs, Caskey should be in the mix for a promotion to a run-game coordinator.
Brayden Coombs, special teams assistant
As Darrin Simmons’ right-hand man, Coombs is well thought of around the league and should be in line to jump to a coordinator position. With a revolving door of personnel this season the Bengals couldn’t unveil a lot of different looks on special teams, but Coombs will be able to impress in interviews with schemes and he will immediately be able to connect with a room of players.
Rob Livingston, co-secondary coach
The former scout should be a hot commodity for his personnel background as well as his ability to connect with his players. Another fast riser in the league, Livingston is positioned to command an entire secondary room and may be a dark horse defensive coordinator candidate if the right college job opened.