Former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis was named co-defensive coordinator at Arizona State, the school announced on Tuesday.
Lewis will share the job with Antonio Pierce, the former NFL linebacker who won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants.
“Marvin Lewis is someone that I have come to trust wholeheartedly during my career and his coaching acumen will prove to be invaluable as we continue to push this program forward,” Arizona State coach Herm Edwards said. “He has coached at the highest level of football and spearheaded some elite defenses in the process. That kind of experience cannot be measured and his passion for teaching will extend beyond the student-athletes, but also to our coaching staff itself.”
Lewis coached the Bengals for 16 seasons through 2018; he went 131-122-3 during his time in Cincinnati, setting the franchise record for career wins. He was a special adviser to the Sun Devils during the 2019 season.
Pierce played in the NFL from 2001 to ’09, splitting time between the Washington Redskins and Giants. Arizona State had recently promoted him to associate head coach; he previously was the team’s linebacker coach and recruiting coordinator.
“Antonio Pierce has established himself as one of the elite recruiters in the nation and is one of the brightest up-and-coming coaches around,” Edwards said. “His impact with the linebackers and with the Sun Devil program in just two seasons has been tangible and he has been a pivotal part in our defensive success since his arrival in Tempe.”
The defensive coordinator position opened when Tony White took over the same role at Syracuse.