In the aftermath of the latest Bengals playoff meltdown, I thought about the all-time greatest NFL coaches. I thought of Halas, Lombardi, Shula, Landry, Noll, Walsh, Gibbs and Belichick. I thought of Bengals founder and first coach Paul Brown. I thought of Bud Grant, who I worked with for many years.
How would they have handled the disgraceful, classless, unprofessional, selfish and dangerous on-field behavior of Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict (and Adam "Pacman" Jones)? Would they have allowed him to keep playing in critical moments of an emotionally-charged playoff game, knowing he was a ticking time bomb?
The answer, of course, is no. A great coach would have a pointed sideline conversation with the player. "Look, our season is on the line," he'd say. "No personal fouls, or you will be on waivers Monday." And if the player can't be trusted, a great coach would bench him, no matter how talented the player.
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So judging by his undisciplined team, Marvin Lewis is not a great coach.
As a former team executive, I understand the fine line that exists for aggressive players. But they can't cross that line and become dirty. Fortunately, I never had to deal with a player like Burfict, who plays the game with a clear intent to hurt opponents. But I would never accept such antics.
If I was Bengals owner/president Mike Brown, I would fire Lewis on the grounds that he runs an undisciplined team and is an enabler of poor on-field behavior. I would feel keeping Lewis sets up Cincinnati for more trouble, as well as a lack of ultimate success. I also would mention his unacceptable 0-7 playoff record. I'd give offensive coordinator Hue Jackson a shot at the head coaching job.
I made similar comments about the Giants’ need to part ways with Tom Coughlin after the Odell Beckham Jr. fiasco in the Carolina game. Coughlin's enabling of his star receiver was exemplified when he said he wasn't aware that Beckham had three personal fouls in the game, and that he didn't see Beckham's helmet-to-helmet hit on Josh Norman.
So how about Lewis’ comments on Burfict's shoulder-to-head hit on Brown? He initially said he wasn't sure whether there was significant contact. He later said, "It didn't go over the edge." And here's another beauty: "He's had three personal foul penalties … let's judge the body of work." As if to say Burfict has been a model citizen on the field.
OK, Coach Lewis. About that "body of work."
This season, Burfict was fined $50k for a blind-side hit to the head of Ravens tight end Maxx Williams in Week 17. He racked up another $70k or so in fines for several dirty plays in Week 14 against the Steelers, including a low hit on Ben Roethlisberger. Burfict also in that game was one of the ringleaders who tried to incite a pre-game brawl.
Burfict also has been accused of spitting on Steelers linemen in the playoff game — not to mention his incendiary "I hate Pittsburgh" comment last week. Oh, and his 22 personal fouls at Arizona State were part of the reason he went undrafted.
MORE: History of Burfict's reckless behavior | Shazier's hit more dangerous?
After the NFL announced Burfict’s three-game suspension to begin the 2016 season (which I believe should have been four games to send a stronger message), Lewis went into damage-control mode. Coughlin did the same when he realized Beckham had created a firestorm. Lewis finally criticized Burfict with a mild tone, saying, "He can't have that kind of blow with the guy receiving the pass."
But Lewis might have won his first playoff game had he gotten that message to Burfict before there were 18 seconds left in the game.
There should be no place in the NFL for players like Burfict — simple as that. The focus after the wild-card round should be great players and memorable plays, such as Russell Wilson's amazing escape against the Vikings. Or Aaron Rodgers and the Packers rediscovering their winning ways in Washington. Or the Chiefs winning their 11th straight game. We should be able to focus on divisional-round matchups, not the ugliness that permeated the Bengals-Steelers game, with Pittsburgh contributing on a lesser scale. (Yes, we're talking about you, Joey Porter.)
In this concussion-sensitive era, Burfict must know the league and its officials are watching him closely. For him to continue with dangerous hits is stupid and selfish. It has cost his team major penalties, and now, a playoff game.
The best coaches speak of a desire to work with smart players. Burfict does not fit that category, but his coach puts up with him.
Ultimately, players like Burfict disrespect the game. They don't understand that playing in the NFL is a privilege, and they should have it taken away until they understand the big picture and play the game as a professional. And if their coaches can't control behavior, they must be sent packing, too.
Enough is enough. The Beckham-Norman confrontation was the ugliest moment of 2015 until the Bengals and Steelers took it to another level. It was a black eye; an embarrassment to the NFL on the big stage that is a primetime playoff slot.
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Maybe the suspension (and the resulting $502,941 in lost salary) will get Burfict's attention. But a message from his coach — get in his face, tell him it’s OK to be aggressive, but he better be clean, or he’ll be gone — would help most.
It’s apparently not in Lewis’ DNA to say such things to his players, though. At least to the extent that they hear him loud and clear.
That's what those great coaches would have done with Burfict, long before he could be instrumental in blowing a playoff game.
Jeff Diamond is the former president of the Titans, and former vice president/general manager of the Vikings. He was selected NFL Executive of the Year in 1998. Diamond is currently a business and sports consultant who also does broadcast and online media work. He is former chairman and CEO of The Ingram Group. Follow Jeff on Twitter: @jeffdiamondNFL
