By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PITTSBURGH - The Bengals interviewed Steelers offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey here Saturday for Cincinnati's head-coaching vacancy.

Mularkey is believed to be the fourth candidate to interview with the Bengals since Dick LeBeau was fired Monday

Speaking by phone from her Pittsburgh-area home, Betsy Mularkey said Saturday that her husband went to a Steelers team meeting around 6 p.m.

Mularkey did not return the phone message.

The Steelers host the Cleveland Browns today at Heinz Field in an AFC wildcard playoff game.

The Bengals interviewed Redskins defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis on Tuesday. Bengals defensive coordinator Mark Duffner is believed to have interviewed Thursday, and former Jacksonville coach Tom Coughlin flew Friday to Cincinnati to talk with Bengals president Mike Brown. Bengals running backs coach Jim Anderson also is expected to be interviewed early this week.

Mularkey, completing his second season as Steelers offensive coordinator, has turned Pittsburgh into one of the league's most productive offenses. They were ranked fifth overall this season.

"I still consider us a smash-mouth type of an offense," Mularkey said in November. "Our identity is tough and physical."

"But you've got to make it fun for the players. I was a player. It's a hard job. The first thing the players want to know when they come in is what kinds of trick plays we're going to run that week. It puts the defense in a 'when?' mode."

LeBEAU RELAXES: LeBeau said he enjoyed his first week of vacation in some time - although the break didn't come about the way he would have liked.

LeBeau, fired Monday, spent his first week away from football visiting his mother in London, Ohio, and catching up on his bills.

He said he was thinking about taking a golf vacation sometime soon.

Asked about his future, LeBeau sounded upbeat and said, "When the good Lord slams one door shut, he opens another."

That door could open in Buffalo, where Bills general manager Tom Donahoe has said he would like to find room for LeBeau as a coach or in another capacity.

LeBeau, who worked with Donahoe in Pittsburgh, said he had yet to talk to the Bills.

LeBeau also declined a request to sit for a longer interview to reflect on his two-plus years as Bengals coach.

The Bengals were 2-14 this past season and 12-33 overall under LeBeau.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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