When the Las Vegas Raiders kick off their 2024 season, it will mark Marvin Lewis’ NFL coaching return.
The longtime former Cincinnati Bengals head coach stated Wednesday that the inspiration behind his return was quite simply assisting head coach Antonio Pierce.
“I think just the opportunity to really assist AP,” Lewis, the Raiders assistant head coach, said Wednesday when asked what appealed to him in taking the role. “From the time that I first met him and had the opportunity to coach him, and then the opportunity to kind of reunite again later on at Arizona State — so kind of was in a similar role at one point there with him there as well, being in support of him, I just have been really impressed all the time with him. Back to 2002 with the now-Commanders, I guess. So, it’s just this opportunity.”
Lewis was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens from 1996-2001, helming an all-time great 2000 defensive squad that keyed the franchise’s run to a Super Bowl XXXV triumph. After his Ravens tenure, he spent one season as Washington’s DC in 2002 before moving on to become the head coach for the Bengals. In that ’02 season, Lewis coached a 24-year-old Pierce. Pierce’s best playing seasons were still in front of him, but he clearly made an impression on Lewis.
“I knew he was driven as a player,” Lewis said.
