:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27615675/20131227_jel_aw3_092.0.jpg)
Do players want to play for Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis? The question was asked by ESPN.com's army of "NFL Nation" writers in an anonymous survey with NFL players, which are being detailed this week. Actually, the question was, which head coach would you like to play for, "encouraged" not to name their current head coach.
Seattle Seahawks Pete Carroll drew 71 votes, the most among the players that were surveyed. Marvin Lewis received six, which is, "among the bottom half of vote-getting coaches", writes ESPN.com's Coley Harvey.
Lewis' coaching style seems to differ from Carroll's, but he has appeared to be respected by those not only inside his locker room, but outside it, as well. There is an external appreciation for what Lewis has done in Cincinnati, particularly in the last few years. After 14 seasons of postseason absences, Lewis, in only his third season in Cincinnati in 2005, took the Bengals to the playoffs for the first time since 1990. He has followed that up with trips in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. This recent playoff appearance marked the first time the franchise had been a part of postseason play for three straight seasons.
Of the Bengals that didn't pick Lewis, "most players said they would want to play for either Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin or New England's Bill Belichick."
Mike Tomlin is the second-most vote-getter with 13.8 percent of the votes, followed by John Fox (7.8 percent), Rex Ryan (7.2 percent) and Belichick (6.9 percent).