Marcus "Bug" Lewis enters his first season with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 as an assistant linebackers coach, bringing with him 10 years of coaching experience, including five years as a coach in the NFL.
Prior to joining the Raiders, Lewis served as the running backs coach for the Las Vegas Vipers of the XFL. Lewis led the running backs room to finish fourth in the league in rushing (93.1 yards per game). Starting running back and leader of the offense, Rod Smith, played nine games and led the team with 274 yards on 70 attempts (3.91) and two touchdowns. Another notable running back, John Lovett, had 227 yards on 59 attempts (3.85) and three touchdowns.
Lewis served as a defensive analyst for the Arizona State Sun Devils in 2020. In an abbreviated season, Lewis assisted a defensive unit that ranked first nationally in turnover margin (+8) and also ranked first in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (23.2) and fumble recoveries (8).
Before Arizona State, Lewis spent one season (2019) as the running backs coach at Hampton University. Under Lewis' guidance, running back Shai McKenzie earned first-team All-Big South honors after becoming the first Hampton running back to run for 1,000 yards since 2012.
His last stint in the NFL was five seasons (2014-18) with the Cincinnati Bengals, working as a defensive assistant/defensive quality control coach (2014-15), defensive line/defensive quality control coach (2016-17) and a linebackers/defensive quality control coach (2018). At the helm of the defensive line in 2017, his unit helped the Bengals defense rank sixth in the NFL in total yards allowed per play (5.0) and ninth in sacks per pass play (0.11). The defensive line also played a key role in helping the Bengals rank sixth in the NFL in red-zone defense, allowing TDs on only 46.4 percent of trips inside the 20-yard line. Over his time in Cincinnati, Lewis saw DT Geno Atkins earn two Pro Bowl nods and twice led all NFL interior linemen in sacks. DE Carlos Dunlap also posted 7.5 sacks in 2017, bringing his career total to 64.5, second all-time in Bengals history.
In 2016, the Bengals defense ranked eighth in the NFL in points allowed per game (19.7). DT Geno Atkins was named Defensive MVP of the AFC North in a vote of ESPN.com division beat writers. Lewis helped DE Carlos Dunlap to a Pro Bowl nod in 2016, after posting the second most sacks on the team with 8.0 and had eight passes defensed, tied for the most in the NFL among defensive linemen. He was the first defensive lineman to lead the Bengals in passes defensed in a season.
As a defensive assistant in 2015, Lewis contributed to a unit that allowed the second-fewest points (279, 17.4 per game) in the NFL, the highest single-season league ranking in Bengals history. In 2014, his first season in Cincinnati, the Bengals ranked 12th in the NFL in fewest points allowed (21.5 per game), and the defense ranked in the top 10 in nine of the 15 major statistical categories widely monitored by NFL coaching staffs. Among those top 10 rankings, the Bengals were tied for third in interceptions (20) and third in lowest passer rating allowed (75.8).
Lewis began his coaching career at the University of Cincinnati in 2013, where he worked as a defensive assistant. He worked primarily with the defensive line and was in charge of scout teams film breakdown and practice organizations. In 2013, the Bearcats' defense ranked ninth nationally in fewest yards allowed (315.6 per game).
PERSONAL: Alburquerque, N.M native…Son of Raiders Assistant Head Coach Marvin Lewis…Played four seasons at Indiana State (2008-11), where he earned his degree in Recreation Sports Management.
