CINCINNATI — Coach Marvin Lewis got a two-year contract extension Tuesday, providing him yet two more chances to try to get the Cincinnati Bengals the playoff victory that has eluded him for 15 seasons.

The agreement came after a second straight losing season and two days of discussions with owner Mike Brown. Lewis has the second-longest active coaching tenure in the NFL, behind Bill Belichick’s 18 seasons with New England.

Unlike Belichick, who has won five Super Bowls and made two other appearances in the title game, Lewis is 0-7 in the playoffs.

CARDINALS: QB Carson Palmer is retiring after 15 NFL seasons.

Palmer, who turned 38 last week, made the announcement in an open letter released by the Cardinals. Palmer missed the last nine games of what would be his final season with a broken left arm.

RAIDERS: Jon Gruden hopes he’s a candidate to return for a second stint as coach of the Oakland Raiders and believes a final decision will be made next week.

The Raiders fired Coach Jack Del Rio on Sunday following a disappointing six-win season

Gruden spent four seasons as coach in Oakland from 1998-2001. After leading the Raiders to 8-8 records his first two years, Gruden helped the team reach the AFC title game following the 2000 season and got Oakland back into the playoffs the following season.

Gruden’s tenure ended shortly after the “Tuck Rule” loss to the Patriots when he was traded the following month to Tampa Bay.

PACKERS: Ted Thompson is out as GM of the Packers, but will remain as senior adviser of football operations.

Whoever replaces Thompson will have Mike McCarthy under contract through 2019, after Murphy said the coach was given a one-year extension during the season. The extension prevents McCarthy from having lame-duck status with a new GM.

Browns: The Browns received permission to interview Houston quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan to be their offensive coordinator.

HALL OF FAME: Star linebackers Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher are among four first-time eligible former players selected among the 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018.

Receiver Randy Moss and guard Steve Hutchinson also made the cut to the finals in their first year of eligibility.

They join Tony Boselli, Isaac Bruce, Brian Dawkins, Alan Faneca, Joe Jacoby, Edgerrin James, Ty Law, John Lynch, Kevin Mawae, Terrell Owens and Everson Walls for consideration.

The seniors committee has nominated guard Jerry Kramer and linebacker Robert Brazile. The contributor’s nominee is Bobby Beathard, a former general manager and administrator for five franchises.

Voting by the Hall of Fame selectors will be Feb. 3 in Minneapolis.