The head coach was Marvin Lewis , who has coached the team since 2003 . He was chosen by the Associated Press as its NFL Coach of the Year following the season . Lewis was recognized for turning around the Bengals in the face of serious off-the-field adversity . First , three players were personally affected by the tsunami that hit American Samoa in late September . Shortly after this disaster , Vikki Zimmer , the wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer , unexpectedly died . Finally , wide receiver Chris Henry , who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 9 , died in December from injuries suffered when he fell from the back of a pickup truck during a domestic dispute
tsunami
2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami
2009 Cincinnati Bengals season