According to Hikaru Kudo of Sports Illustrated on Tuesday, the Las Vegas Raiders have named Rod Marinelli of Rosemead, California, as their new interim defensive co-ordinator. Marinelli takes over from Paul Guenther, who was fired after the Raiders’ 44-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
The fact that Marinelli is only the “interim” defensive co-ordinator, should come as simply no surprise whatsoever. Marinelli brings a wealth of coaching experience to the Raiders, but is getting up there in age at 71 years old.
Marinelli had just joined the Raiders and Jon Gruden’s coaching staff this season. He had spent the last six seasons as the defensive co-ordinator and the defensive line coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
The fact that Marinelli has had a coaching position in the National Football League every year since 1996 is rather impressive when you consider the fact his time as a NFL head coach did not go very at all. In three seasons as the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2006 to 2008, Marinelli had a record of 10 wins and 38 losses for a winning percentage of only .208. In the 2008 NFL season, the Lions went 0-16.
In addition to being the defensive co-ordinator for the Cowboys, Marinelli was the defensive co-ordinator for the Chicago Bears from 2010 to 2012. He was also in charge of the defensive line with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2005. It is there where Marinelli built a working relationship with Gruden. For four years from 2002 to 2005, Marinelli worked under Gruden in central Florida, and guided the Buccaneers to their only Super Bowl championship in franchise history. Tampa Bay ironically beat the Oakland Raiders 48-21 in San Diego in Super Bowl XXXVII on January 26, 2003.
Now with the Raiders, Marinelli’s task is a simple one. That is to turn the defense around when the Raiders offense is already productive, and the franchise is in playoff contention. At seven wins and six losses, Las Vegas is one game back of the Miami Dolphins for the final playoff spot in the AFC. The other team on the outside looking in is the Baltimore Ravens, who are also at 8-5.
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