It took Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown six years to realize what fans knew was true about Marvin Lewis: his playoff record was unacceptable. Owners often dictate the success of a franchise and with both of Ohio’s NFL
After a second-straight losing season in 2017, Mike Brown decided to extend Marvin Lewis’ contract only to terminate it this year. During this past season after the Browns fired Hue Jackson and cited ‘in-fighting’ as the cause, Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis hired the recently fired coach. This led to some interesting interactions with former players and raised questions in regards to the purpose of the hiring. The addition of Hue Jackson appeared to do no good as Cincinnati failed to win a significant game against the Steelers.
After the Bengals lost in the playoffs to the Texans for the second-straight year in early 2013, many called for Marvin’s time in Cincinnati to be over. Mike Brown continued to double down on Marvin and was ‘apparently’ rewarded with three more trips to the postseason, all ending in disappointing losses. Through the years Mike Brown has demonstrated ‘Hyper-loyalty’ by continuing to draft and sign players with baggage and a history of not learning from their mistakes.
This stubbornness ranges from sticking with troubled players longer than prudent, (Vontaze Burfict and Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones costing the Bengals a playoff win still agonizes most Bengals fans to this day) to drafting Joe Mixon with allegations of domestic abuse, to adding egos like Terrell Owens and retaining Chad ‘OchoCinco’ Johnson (by the way if he meant to say 85 in Spanish it is Ochenta y Cinco but he may have meant 8-5 to be his name). Mike Brown has had success drafting players but has taken unnecessary risks at positions like receiver and defensive back which appear to be made without consulting others and leaning on others opinions of various players. This is the way Mike Brown operates. If this sounds like a bit of a rant or an attack on Mike Brown, it isn’t meant to be, but these facts point to a stubbornness that goes back to Mike’s father Paul.
Paul Brown was the initial owner of the Bengals and handed the team down to his son Mike before his passing. Before starting the Bengals franchise, Paul Brown was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns before infamous owner Art Modell jettisoned Brown from his position in 1963. Art Modell had a way of getting on people’s nerves, as all of Cleveland can attest to, but Paul’s own heavy-handedness may have been ultimately to blame.
For a rundown on the founding of the Bengals take a look at this well-organized piece from forbes. Essentially Paul Brown invested in the Bengals with the idea that he was done taking orders from anyone and that he would build his franchise his way while also coaching the team. This obstinacy was handed down both genetically and philosophically to his son Paul. The Bengals have done things their way for a long time now.
This ‘Brown or bust’ philosophy resulted in middling success for Paul but it led his son Mike to the Superbowl twice during the
This January the Bengals are conducting their first head coaching search since Marvin Lewis was hired in 2003 almost 16 years ago. In 2003 George W. Bush was still in his first term as president, Apple had just opened their iTunes store and the Bengals drafted Carson Palmer with the #1 overall pick. In short, a lot has changed since Mike Brown last had to find his primary play-caller. Will his ‘tried and true’ method of stability and control payoff? Will he change his approach and embrace newer ideas and strategies? Whichever of the coaches the Bengals have interviewed they select will indicate Brown’s current approach to this new era.