Ex-Bengals coach Marvin Lewis lands role on Herm Edwards' staff at Arizona State
Herm Edwards has added more NFL experience to his Arizona State coaching staff.
ASU announced Tuesday that Edwards has brought in Marvin Lewis as a special advisor. Lewis spent the last 16 seasons as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals before he and the team parted ways after the 2018 season. Before his lengthy stint in Cincinnati, Lewis was the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins.
Lewis, who was a linebackers coach at four schools between 1981 and 1991, is the latest coach with significant NFL ties brought to Tempe by Edwards, who is entering his second season as the Sun Devils head coach.
"Marvin Lewis is one of the most respected minds in our game," Edwards said. "Whether as the winningest coach in the franchise history of the Cincinnati Bengals, or the architect of one the greatest defenses in NFL history, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, Marvin has succeeded everywhere he has been and he has done it the right way. His passion for teaching will be an incredible benefit not only for our coaches, but also for the young men we are responsible for as students and athletes."
Lewis said he has known Edwards for more than 30 years. He was also once represented by ASU athletic director Ray Anderson during Anderson’s time as a sports agent. Lewis’ daughter, Whitney, attended ASU.
"I envision just being another set of eyes, another set of ears, and doing anything I can to help the coaches,” Lewis said. “I was really impressed with the staff and what they accomplished after they hit the ground running last season. ASU is a great university and is known for having an outstanding athletic program that has always been able to attract top athletes from around the country and I look forward to doing all I can to help the program."
In addition to Lewis, Edwards also has Hall of Fame lineman Kevin Mawae and Pro Bowl linebacker Antonio Pierce on his staff. Mawae serves as an offensive analyst while Pierce coaches linebackers.
Arizona State’s decision to hire Edwards last year seemingly came out of left field. Edwards, the former Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets head coach, hadn’t coached since 2008, when his time in Kansas City ended. Anderson said the idea behind hiring Edwards was to put Edwards in a “CEO” role similar to a structure under an NFL general manager.
In Edwards’ first year on the job, the Sun Devils went 7-6.
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