Idaho State University Magazine

Few people who have followed the career of Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis would call the man unsuccessful.

In his first assistant coaching job at Idaho State University, just one year after he played linebacker, quarterback and safety for the ISU Bengals, he helped bring the team to their first, and thus far only, national championship.

Lewis's successes in the pro football arena have been numerous. In the 2000 regular season, Lewis earned a Superbowl championship as defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens' defense set the NFL record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game campaign (165), clipping 22 points off the previous mark. His Bengals log includes AFC North Division championships in 2005 and 2009, and he coached his first five years (2003-07) without experiencing a losing season, the club's longest such streak since 1977. In 2009, Lewis was named the Associated Press Coach of the Year as well as the Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America Coach of the Year. The 2009 season was also the first time in Bengals history that the team swept the AFC North Division. He is currently the Cincinnati Bengals' longest-tenured coach in history. There is little doubt that the man is a winner.

But Alumni Association Director K.C. Felt, and others who know him, see another side to Coach Lewis. Felt recently travelled to Cincinnati to award Lewis with a Homecoming Distinguished Alumnus award. She was impressed by the easy, respectful way he seemed to treat everyone, from upper-level staff to assistants.

"He treats everyone the same. They all respect him," she said. "He's the same guy today as he was when he was an assistant coach at ISU. He is humble, kind, and one of the nicest men I know."

Lewis will be honored at the annual Homecoming Awards banquet, although his football schedule does not allow him to attend. Lewis said he was honored to receive the award.

"I'm honored, I'm flattered and I am excited to continue to represent ISU well," he said. "I'm excited to continue to do what I can to help the University. I can't wait to get to Pocatello in the near future, and I just want to say, Go Bengals!"

Lewis's contributions to Idaho State University and the Cincinnati community extend beyond the football field. In 2002, he started the Marvin R. Lewis Endowment at Idaho State University for deserving student-athletes.

During his first six years with the Cincinnati Bengals, he made more than 300 appearances with the public, and he encourages his players to become active members of the community as well. In 2003, he created the Marvin Lewis Community Fund, which has donated more than $5.5 million for educational and community programs. The Marvin Lewis Scholarship Fund assists students in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. His Learning is Cool program rewards students in Cincinnati public schools for good academic performance.

To date, the Fund has directly impacted more than 300,000 people through its programs. In 2009, the Marvin Lewis Community Fund received the Steve Patterson Award (individual athlete category) for excellence in Sports Philanthropy.

"He just does things the right way," Felt said, "and we are so proud of him."