By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Bengals interviewed Tom Coughlin, the only one of their top five coaching candidates with previous NFL head-coaching experience, on Friday.

The former Jacksonville Jaguars coach flew to Cincinnati on Friday morning to meet with Bengals officials about the head-coaching job, vacant since Dick LeBeau was fired Monday.

Coughlin flew from Jacksonville, Fla., and met with Bengals president Mike Brown and other members of his family ownership group.

"It is certainly a job that is very attractive," Coughlin said Friday night before departing from Greater Cincinnnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. "It's an opportune situation because it's a team that's talented and a team that can win."

Coughlin was the Jaguars' coach, offensive coordinator and general manager this past season, when his team finished 6-10. It was the third consecutive losing season for the coach who is known for his strict discipline and controlling personality.

Brown said Monday he will not hire a general manager, and he will continue to act in that role. That topic came up during Coughlin's conversations with the Bengals.

"That issue is really not part of the plan here, so it received some of the discussion but not all," Coughlin said.

Coughlin said he wasn't offered the job and termed discussions as "preliminary." Coughlin also said no second interview was discussed.

Coughlin is believed to be the coach whose no-nonsense, tough-guy approach could change the attitude surrounding the Bengals most quickly.

He is believed to be the third candidate interviewed for the job.

The Bengals interviewed Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis on Tuesday and are believed to have conducted an interview Thursday with defensive coordinator Mark Duffner. Running backs coach Jim Anderson is expected to be interviewed.

The fifth candidate is Steelers offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, who will be interviewed in Pittsburgh today, the day before the Steelers' AFC wild-card playoff game against the Cleveland Browns.

Also Friday, St.Louis Rams media relations director Rick Smith said the Bengals hadn't asked the team for permission to speak with defensive coordinator Lovie Smith.

Smith, who just completed his second season as the Rams' coordinator, is a former college assistant of John Cooper's at Ohio State and Tulsa. Cooper, now a Bengals consultant, had recommended Smith to Brown.

Coughlin, 56, was the only coach in Jaguars history and led the franchise to a 68-60 regular-season record in eight years. He was 4-4 in playoff games, including AFC championship-game losses in 1996 and 1999.

Coughlin was hired by Jacksonville in 1994 after three seasons as head coach at Boston College.

After a 4-12 first season with the Jaguars, Coughlin led the team to four consecutive playoff seasons in which they went a combined 45-19 (1996-99). The 1998 Jaguars were a franchise-best 14-2.

But Jacksonville had a combined 19-29 record the past three seasons, leading to Coughlin's firing with two years remaining on his contract. The Jaguars reportedly owe Coughlin $2.4 million on the contract in each of the next two years.

Coughlin had a 10-5 record against the Bengals in eight seasons. The teams were AFC Central rivals for seven seasons until realignment moved Jacksonville to the AFC South in 2002.

The Jaguars defeated the Bengals 29-15 on Dec.15 at Paul Brown Stadium. Coughlin's final Jacksonville team was ranked 25th in offense and 20th in defense.

The Bengals finished with a No.18 offensive ranking and No.17 in defense.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com