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Marvin Lewis denies ESPN report that he’s stepping down as Bengals head coach at end of season

If the Bengals want to move on from Marvin Lewis they may need to make that decision without Lewis’ consent.

NFL: Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

After ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported this morning that Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis would step away from the team following the conclusion of the 2017 season, Lewis denied the report following an embarrassing 34-7 Bengals loss to the Vikings on Sunday.

Lewis laughed off the rumor and said he hasn’t made a decision about his future following the 2017 season in his post-game press conference.

It seems as though the Bengals have given up on Lewis, though he claims he doesn’t think the report of him parting ways with the team, which surfaced about two and a half hours before kickoff on Sunday, impacted the team’s results. That’s pretty sad considering how badly the Bengals played and how embarrassing their losing effort was against Mike Zimmer’s squad.

Lewis is on the final year of his contract and if the Bengals want him back, they’ll need to re-sign him to a new deal. That wouldn’t be a wise move for the team following back-to-back losing seasons and zero playoff wins in Lewis’ 15 years in Cincinnati.

It’s important to remember all Lewis has done for the Bengals’ franchise, but, that doesn’t mean his tenure as head coach should be extended.

We’ll keep you updated as more news becomes available on Lewis’ future with the Bengals and who will be the team’s coach in 2018.