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The Cincinnati Bengals announced on Tuesday that Marvin Lewis' contract has been extended through the 2014 season. Lewis was entering the final year of a two-year contract that he signed following a disastrous 2010 with much of the team's distractions departing for a newer team-oriented group.
Lewis follows a serious effort of continuity for the team. Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden and Mike Zimmer each signed contract extensions during the offseason this year, all through 2014.
If he fulfills his contract and remains with the team through 2014, he'll have been the team's head coach for 12 seasons. The winningest coach in franchise history, Lewis has won 69 games but still remains under .500 at 69-77-1 (including three playoff losses).
Per Bengals.com:
Lewis passed Bengals founder Paul Brown and Sam Wyche last season in his ninth year and assuming he's here through at least 2013, he'll become the 15th head coach since the 1970 NFL merger to be with one team for at least 11 seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“Coming off a playoff finish last year, with a solid coaching staff and good young players, continuity at the top gives us our best chance to do well,” said Bengals president Mike Brown in a statement. “We are excited about the team’s prospects and happy to have completed this process with Marvin before the 2012 preseason schedule begins.”