Marvin Lewis Says He'd Like to Return as Head Coach of Bengals in 2018

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis confirmed he'd like to return for the 2018 NFL season after the team's 31-27 upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer noted Lewis said the situation was "more complicated" than team owner Mike Brown asking him to stay after the team's 7-9 campaign, though.

The 59-year-old Pennsylvania native took over the Bengals in 2003, which makes him the league's second longest-tenured head coach behind the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick (2000).

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported earlier in December that Lewis planned to leave the franchise to "pursue opportunities elsewhere" with his contract set to expire at season's end. The Bengals coach denied the rumor, however.

On Sunday, Ian Rapoport‏ of the NFL Network stated the Bengals had started to reach out to potential coaching candidates from outside the organization even before their Week 17 clash with the Ravens.

The win moved Lewis to 125-112-3 across 15 years in Cincinnati. The team reached the playoffs in seven of those seasons but failed to record a postseason win. It hasn't won a playoff game since the 1990 Wild Card Round, the league's longest drought.

In addition, the Bengals have failed to reach .500 two years in a row for just the second time in his tenure after making the playoffs each of the previous five seasons.