Cincinnati ? Marvin Lewis was hired Tuesday as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, who haven’t had a winning season in the last 12 years.

“I think we’ve turned over a new leaf for the Bengals,” owner Mike Brown said.

Lewis was coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens defense that won the 2001 Super Bowl and set an NFL record for fewest points allowed in a season.

Lewis is the third black head coach in the NFL, joining Tony Dungy of Indianapolis and Herman Edwards of the New York Jets.

Lewis, the team’s first black head coach, failed to get a head coaching job after the 2000 or 2001 seasons. He became defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins but was eager for the chance to become an NFL head coach.

“This is about hard work,” Lewis said. “I don’t think places win or lose. I have a plan to get the little things done to bring the performance of our team up, to cultivate the guys we have and to add players to it.”

He signed a package worth about $1.5 million a year.

“We are starting fresh. He has the respect of people throughout the National Football League. He sold us, and I think he will sell the people in Cincinnati.”