The Cincinnati Bengals reportedly plan to stick with Andy Dalton as their starting quarterback in 2019, but the same may not be said for their longtime head coach.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the thumb surgery that ended Dalton’s year prematurely is not expected to affect his status in Cincinnati next season. However, the Bengals are not financially committed to Marvin Lewis beyond 2018. While the team announced a two-year extension for him back in January, Rapoport notes that the deal was actually a one-year contract with a team option for 2019.
A team spokesperson would not confirm nor deny the details of Lewis’ latest extension.
Lewis is one of the longest-tenured coaches in football despite never winning a playoff game, so it would not be a surprise if the Bengals stick with him even as they have lost five of their last six games and are quickly fading from playoff contention. One line of thinking is that Lewis could transition to another role within the organization, though fans may not like the coach the Bengals are said to be considering as a potential replacement.
