Marvin Lewis Fired by Bengals After 16 Seasons

Marvin Lewis had been the Bengals head coach since 2003, with seven playoff appearances and no wins.

The Cincinnati Bengals have fired Marvin Lewis as their head coach after 16 seasons, the team announced Monday.

"I want to thank the Bengals’ organization, the fans and the city of Cincinnati for their support,” Lewis said in a statement. "I regret I haven’t been able to provide them with the No. 1 goal of being world champions. I also want to thank our players, coaches and team employees for their effort and professionalism over the past 16 years. A lot of fine people have gone through this building in that time, and the organization is better for all of them having been a part of it."

The news was first reported by NFL.com's Tom Pelissero.

Lewis finishes his time in Cincinnati with a 131–122–3 record, including three straight losing seasons. 

It was reported at the end of last season that Lewis would be leaving Cincinnati to pursue other opportunities. Instead, Lewis signed a two-year extension. 

Lewis took over for the Bengals in 2003 and was the second-longest tenured head coach with a team behind Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. 

The Bengals were Lewis' first head coaching job in the NFL. He previously served as an assistant with the Steelers, Ravens and Redskins. He's served as the Bengals defensive coordinator since November this season.

The Bengals missed the playoffs this season, going 6–10 for fourth in the AFC North. The team, which ranked dead last in the NFL in total defense, ended the season with a 16–13 loss against the Steelers on Sunday.