Rod

Marinelli

There was “interest” in continuing to coach, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, but Marinelli will instead hang it up at 72. His lone head coaching gig with the Lions ended in a disastrous 0-16 season in 2008, but he worked wonders as the defensive line coach for Tony Dungy’s Bucs and, later, Lovie Smith’s Bears. He also had stops in Dallas and Las Vegas. It’s likely some of the interest in him from the NFL was from the Texans. If he decided to unretire, he’s been a good enough coach that he’d likely be an upgrade to some team’s defensive line.

The hiring has been widely expected for weeks, but it is now official. He’ll be replacing Brentson Buckner, who was just hired by the Cardinals, and focusing on getting the most out of Maxx Crosby and other defensive linemen. He worked alongside coach Jon Gruden in Tampa Bay. It’s an experienced staff.

He’ll fill the post vacated by Brentson Buckner, who was surprisingly let go on Tuesday. Marinelli became available when Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy brought in his own staff earlier this month, replacing him with Saints LBs coach Mike Nolan. This will be the second time Marinelli has worked with Jon Gruden after previously serving as his defensive line coach in Tampa Bay from 2002-05.

The move ends Monte Kiffin’s disastrous one-year tenure as the Cowboys’ coordinator. It’s a clear upgrade, one that won’t require an overhaul of Kiffin’s “scheme.” Marinelli espouses the same Tampa 2 principles as his former boss Kiffin. Marinelli served as Lovie Smith’s defensive coordinator in Chicago from 2010-12. Marinelli isn’t going to work any miracles with the bare cupboard GM Jerry Jones has left him on defense, but should resurrect the unit from the near all-time worst depths it plunged last season. Eight days after saying both Kiffin and OC Bill Callahan were safe, Jones has upgraded at both spots.

Garrett also lavished praise on his defensive boss at Tuesday’s season-ending presser. Initial reports had Marinelli bolting for longtime coaching confidant Lovie Smith in Tampa, but it now appears better than 50-50 that he’ll remain in Dallas. Owner/GM Jerry Jones will surely be willing to open his wallet after Marinelli saved the Cowboys’ defense in 2014.

Marinelli let word leak that he was interested in reuniting with Lovie Smith in Tampa, and it prompted a swift, decisive effort from the Cowboys to lock him up. Retaining Marinelli was a must for the Cowboys after he helped turn a historically-bad unit into a competent one. Dallas allowed 6,645 yards and 432 points in 2013. Marinelli helped slash those numbers to 5,681 and 352, respectively. Marinelli’s main task for 2015 will be goosing a pass rush that generated only 28 sacks this season, though the onus for that is more on owner/GM Jerry Jones, who must upgrade his defensive personnel.

Coach Jason Garrett stated on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, “He’s done a great job coordinating our defense this year. We have every intention of keeping Rod Marinelli in his current role as defensive coordinator.” The Cowboys would like to retain Marinelli if possible, but his contract is up and he is loyal to Lovie Smith. We should know his decision in the coming days.

The whispers have been there since late in the season. Marinelli’s loss would be a huge blow to Dallas’ defense, which played well above its head in 2014, lacking pass-rush talent and losing Sean Lee to an ACL tear before the season even began. Marinelli is longtime pals with Lovie Smith and has coached in Tampa Bay before. Expect this marriage to be finalized in the coming days.