By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Marvin Lewis talks with Bengals' owner and general manager, Mike Brown, in Mr. Brown's office at Paul Brown Stadium. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

Another improbable change occurred in the Bengals organization Friday, barely three days after Marvin Lewis was hired as head coach.

On Friday morning - Lewis' first day of work in Cincinnati - the club announced that Kim Wood, the team's strength and conditioning coach for 28 years, is retiring. Paul Brown hired Wood in 1975.

"Kim was one of the first strength and conditioning coaches in the NFL, and he blazed a trail for others to follow in this area," Bengals president Mike Brown said in a statement released by the club's media relations department.

Wood, 57, becomes the fourth coach from Dick LeBeau's 2002 staff to depart since the end of the season. Wood, like defensive line coach Tim Krumrie, now in the same position with the Buffalo Bills, were two apparent fixtures in the Bengals organization.

Some assistant coaches on recent Bengals staffs said privately that the strength program needed to be changed.

But Wood's supporters say he did not get enough support from recent coaching staffs, and that he was a major contributor to the Bengals' two Super Bowl appearances.

Some Bengals players had complained privately about the strength program under Wood, even going directly to Brown and LeBeau with their concerns. One major complaint: The team's Paul Brown Stadium weight room often was locked and unavailable.

"People will probably be more attentive about going to offseason workouts because of the change," Bengals free agent linebacker Takeo Spikes said Friday night, one day after saying he wanted to leave Cincinnati.

"The change in the strength program, that's a positive," Spikes said. "Any change is positive."

Spikes said he spoke briefly with Lewis earlier Friday evening and planned to meet with him in person, although a date has not been set.

Spikes said he respects Lewis but does not know if Lewis can force enough change to motivate Spikes to re-sign with the Bengals.

"I just don't know," Spikes said. "Seeing is believing for me."

Lewis was asked about Spikes at his Friday morning news conference, and whether he was worried about the team's chances to re-sign the linebacker.

"No, not when I get phone messages from Takeo the last three, four days. Guys get emotional. You're not going to want to hear it, but we're going to learn how to curb that stuff, too," Lewis told reporters. "We can't help ourselves by venting. If they have a problem, they can talk to me."

The Washington Times reported Friday morning that Lewis is interested in bringing Washington Redskins strength and conditioning coach Chip Morton to the Bengals.

Morton spent 2002 with the Redskins and was with the Baltimore Ravens with Lewis from 1999-2001. During that time, the Ravens had a 10-2 December record, which speaks to their conditioning.

Morton ran the strength and conditioning program for the Carolina Panthers from 1995-98, and was assistant strength coach for the San Diego Chargers from 1992-94.

Wood joins a list of coaches who have departed the Bengals that consists of Krumrie, special teams coach Al Roberts and wide receivers coach Steve Mooshagian.

In a statement also released by the club, Wood said: "It was a great run for me, and I want to thank Mike Brown for having me be a part of a very classy organization."

Wood was known throughout the league for his opposition to steroids in strength training and was ahead of the NFL in taking that stance.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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