By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Colts coach Tony Dungy and Bengals coach Marvin Lewis have a long history that dates to the early 1980s, when Dungy was a Steelers assistant.

They will face each other tonight as head coaches for the first time in the Bengals-Colts preseason game at Indianapolis.

Lewis, an assistant at Long Beach State in 1985-86, used to visit Dungy, who by then had been promoted to defensive coordinator by coach Chuck Noll.

"Tony's been a role model for me for a long time," Lewis said. "His demeanor on the sideline and everything was always impressive. I don't have that kind of composure.

"A lot of people try to compare me, and I always say, 'That's very flattering and quite an honor.' I don't know how he holds that kind of composure."

In 2002, Dungy's first season as Colts coach, took the team to the playoffs.

Dungy has led his teams to the playoffs five times in seven seasons as a head coach. He took Tampa Bay to the postseason four times in six years.

"It's a great thing - his success, what he's done, and how quickly he turned things around (at Indianapolis)," Lewis said. "His footprint is on everything."

Lewis and Dungy are two of the NFL's three African-American head coaches. The third is the Jets' Herman Edwards, who has led his team to consecutive postseason appearances in New York.

Dungy and Edwards combined have seven postseason appearances in nine seasons as head coaches.

NEW GUY: Defensive end Greg Scott, acquired off waivers Wednesday from Washington, has been assigned No. 93.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com