In what has become a dizzying pace as the Cincinnati Bengals search for a new head coach, ESPN.com has learned that the team has contacted Tom Coughlin, and will interview the former Jacksonville Jaguars coach Friday.

Coughlin, 55, was fired by the Jaguars on Monday after eight seasons. Hired by owner Wayne Weaver, about 18 months before Jacksonville even played its first game, Coughlin was the only coach the franchise ever had.

The contact with Coughlin by Cincinnati owner Mike Brown, ESPN.com confirmed, came in the last few days. It certainly raises the club's pursuit of a coach to a new level, as Coughlin is the only identified candidate so far with previous head coaching experience in the NFL.

A quest many thought would be an extended process lasting last two or three weeks, the Cincinnati search might turn out to be considerably quicker than originally anticipated.

League and team sources confirmed to ESPN.com that Bengals officials met Tuesday in Cincinnati with highly-regarded Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, making him the first candidate to interview for a vacancy created when Dick LeBeau was fired on Monday morning.

Bengals ownership will also interview Steelers offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Two current Cincinnati staffers, defensive coordinator Mark Duffner and longtime running backs coach Jim Anderson, will be interviewed as well.

Brown has declined to comment on the search process.

Coughlin clearly is the most proven of the identified candidates. In eight seasons with the Jaguars, he compiled a 72-66 record, and took the team to the playoffs on four occasions. The fact his tenure ended with three straight losing campaigns may have overshadowed the brilliant job that Coughlin did from the outset of the franchise's existence.

The team advanced to the AFC championship game in only its second year on the field, 1996, losing to the New England Patriots. In 1999, Coughlin led the Jaguars to a league-best 14-2 record, but Jacksonville was upset by Tennessee in the conference title matchup.

It is believed that Coughlin is very interested in the Cincinnati job and has been scrutinizing the Bengals roster much of the week.

The interview with Lewis was a lengthy affair, beginning less than 24 hours after LeBeau was dismissed, and lasting most of Tuesday. "To say that it was thorough," said one source, "would be gross understatement."

Lewis came out of the interview liking what he heard. Although the Bengals scouting department in the smallest in the league, Lewis likes the power given to the coaching staff. In the Cincinnati structure, the coaches do much of the scouting and have significant input into the draft.

Lewis has interviewed in recent offseasons for other head coach positions -- in Buffalo, Carolina and Tampa Bay -- and has long been considered ready to step up to the top job. He came close to landing the Buccaneers last year, and had begun assembling a staff, when Tampa Bay ownership vetoed a deal brokered by team president Rich McKay.

One of the league's best defensive minds, Lewis turned down an offer to be the Michigan State coach two weeks ago, but told ESPN.com at the time that he planned to be very selective in pursuing NFL positions.

Meanwhile, in a relater matter, LeBeau could soon find new employment.

Buffalo Bills general manager Tom Donahoe, who worked with LeBeau for five years in Pittsburgh, is interested in adding him to his staff. Buffalo's incumbent defensive coordinator, Jerry Gray, has earned mixed reviews in his two seasons on the job.

Even if Gray is retained, Donahoe would likely find a place for LeBeau on the Buffalo staff.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Information from ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton also was used in this report.