After the Bengals fired offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski on Monday, the team went search mode for a replacement. Marvin Lewis wanted someone younger with fresh ideas broadcasting the general belief that the Bengals head coach was looking within the college ranks for a new offensive coordinator. Former Vikings head coach Brad Childress was believed to be a candidate, simply because he joined Marvin Lewis for dinner several weeks ago. In the end, I guess he just wanted to have dinner with Childress, who was reportedly passing through on a trip to Florida.
On Wednesday night, PFT released a report, via a source, that the Bengals were going to hire the UFL's Virginia Destroyers head coach Jay Gruden to become the team's next offensive coordinator. We wrote up a quick history on the Gruden.
PFT's story was confirmed Thursday morning with a press conference later that afternoon. Gruden wants to get Carson Palmer back, saying that they're going to do everything right for the franchise quarterback. At the same time, Gruden echoed Marvin Lewis' demands weeks ago that the team will pound the football.
Gruden will bring a form of the West Coast to the Cincinnati Bengals.