Bengals Giving Lewis His Chance

It was an offer others might have refused.

But not Marvin Lewis, who for 11 years worked as an NFL assistant, hoping for the chance to become a head coach.

Finally on Tuesday, Lewis, 44, was offered the head-coaching job of the Cincinnati Bengals. He took it without hesitation.

Lewis has built a solid reputation, highlighted by his work as the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Raven team that won the Super Bowl in 2001 and set a league record for fewest points allowed in a season.

But as an African American, Lewis knew the odds were against him. Of the 32 NFL teams, two had black head coaches until Tuesday.

In recent years, Lewis interviewed for several head-coaching jobs, and was on the verge of getting one, only to be passed over at the end. He kept silent, but others claimed racism.

He's starting at the bottom, taking over a Bengal team that finished 2-14 this season, the worst record in club history, a team that hasn't had a winning record or made the playoffs in a dozen years.

But the important thing is, Lewis, who leaves a job as defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins, is assuming control of an NFL team, finally giving the orders instead of taking them.

"I'm just so excited," he said at a news conference. "When you say no to something, you don't know what's the next thing coming. This is an opportunity that I think I've worked hard for and hopefully I've done a great job preparing for."

The NFL has been under pressure from a group led by attorneys Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. and Cyrus Mehri to accelerate the pace of minority hiring.

The owners agreed last month to interview minority candidates when they have openings for a coach or key spots in the front office.

Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts and Herman Edwards of the New York Jets are the league's other black head coaches.

Lewis becomes Cincinnati's ninth head coach, following Dick LeBeau, who was fired the day after the regular season ended, and the first hired from outside the organization by owner Mike Brown since he took over the team in 1991.

Brown also interviewed former Jacksonville Jaguar head coach Tom Coughlin and Pittsburgh Steeler offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.

Lewis steps into a situation that has been the downfall of coaches from Sam Wyche to Dave Shula to Bruce Coslet to LeBeau.