Michael Vick's Quarterbacks Coach Leaves to Join Bengals

Filed under: Bengals, Eagles, AFC North, NFC East

Eagles quarterback Michael Vick won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award in the 2010 -- and nearly Most Valuable Player as well -- with huge contributions from James Urban. Philadelphia's quarterbacks coach of the last two seasons was hired by the Bengals as the wide receivers coach on Monday.

Urban spent seven seasons with the Eagles where he was an assistant head coach to Andy Reid from 2004 to 2006 and oversaw offensive quality control in 2007 and 2008. Urban worked hands-on with Vick and quarterback Kevin Kolb as the Eagles posted a 10-6 record, which was good enough to win the NFC East Division. Vick finished fourth in passer rating at 100.2 and led all quarterbacks in rushing 676 yards, while Kolb posted a passer rating of 92.1.

The coaching gathering in Cincy is following the same pattern of the Browns with the hiring of familiarity among friends and former colleagues as Cleveland head coach Pat Shurmur and team president Mike Holmgren reunite with their old partners.

Reid and Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis are close friends and Reid mentored former Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden (now NFL Analyst for ESPN and Monday Night Football commentator) and Bengals new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, little brother to Jon, in the West Coast scheme while they were with the Buccaneers. Urban will fit right in.

"I am very excited to be able to bring Jim to Cincinnati to work with our receivers," said head coach Marvin Lewis. "He brings us a wealth of knowledge in an offensive system very similar to what (new offensive coordinator) Jay Gruden is installing for us. This is a very good fit for our team."

Urban replaces Mike Sheppard, who signed as quarterbacks coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars in February. As a former wide receiver/ punt returner in college at Washington, the inspired Urban is grateful and appreciative of Andy and Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg for the opportunity they gave him and looks forward to working with a successful coach in Lewis and a proven winner in Gruden.

"I have aspirations. I want to be a coordinator and a head coach," said Urban. "I'll always be thankful to Coach Reid for bringing me into the league and for all the things I learned from him and Coach Mornhinweg. This was an opportunity to work under another great head coach and to build and expand on what I've already learned with the Eagles.

"There sounds like some common thread. Some of the language is the same. It is similar looking," Urban continued about Gruden's system. "I'm anxious to jump in. Jay Gruden has some interesting ideas and thoughts and it looks like he's taking off quickly."

Paul Guenther is entering his seventh season as a part of the Bengals' staff. Guenther will work as an assistant special teams/assistant defensive backs coach after spending the previous five seasons working with special teams and linebackers. Guenther replaces Louie Cioffi who left for the Cardinals earlier this month to be their defensive backs coach.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/22/michael-vicks-quarterbacks-coach-leaves-to-join-bengals/

Lokelani McMichael Lori Heuring Lorri Bagley