Coaching Staff Watch Thread...

Rod Marinelli Reportedly Leaving Cowboys

Ian McCue - 3 hours ago

Immediately after one of the more gut-wrenching losses in recent memory, Cowboys fans found out one of their best coaches could be departing.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports Dallas defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli is "expected" to join Lovie Smith's staff with the Buccaneers, according to an unnamed source. The report says he would probably serve as defensive coordinator in Tampa Bay, too.

Smith and Marinelli have a long history together. He was Smith's assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach with the Bears for four seasons (2009-12). Additionally, Smith was also the Buccaneers' linebackers coach from 1996-2000, a stint that overlapped with Marinelli, who was the defensive line coach there from 1996-2001. The Cowboys assistant, now 65, then added the title of assistant head coach in 2002 and remained there until he took over as the Lions' head coach in 2006.

Marinelli is in his second season in Dallas. He was the defensive line coach last year before taking over Monte Kiffin's duties as defensive coordinator in 2014. Head coach Jason Garrett has praised the work of the veteran coach, and he has been appropriately credited with turning around the NFL's worst defense.

The Cowboys finished the year ranked 19th in total defense (355.1 yards per game), including eighth against the rush (103.1 ypg) and 26th against the pass (251.9 ypg). They were far and away the league's most battered defense under Kiffin in 2013, giving up 415.3 yards per contest.

Florio says Marinelli's contract has expired, and this would be a major loss for Dallas. We will see if Jerry Jones has any tricks up his sleeve (like a whole lot of cash) to keep the coach beloved by his players with the Cowboys.

I don't really care for the timing of this. Game is only a few hours from being over and it is already lined up for him.

As an aside...get Dennis Allen.

I'd take Schwartz too if Buffalo let him go.

Carp said:

I don't really care for the timing of this. Game is only a few hours from being over and it is already lined up for him.

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in all fairness, news probably leaked and I doubt Marinelli had to interview for the job.

Not surprising.

I don't think Marinelli was ever comfortable "replacing" Kiffin.

There should be some decent DC candidates out there after the season is over. Be nice to give one of Seattle's assistants a shot.

You will all get Eberflus and like it.

boozeman said:

You will all get Eberflus and like it.

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Broaddus said before the team flight he would be the expected replacement should Rod leave.

Color me unimpressed.

No shit, I hope that's wrong.

boozeman said:

You will all get Eberflus and like it.

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That's the big problem here. Marinelli did a good job but the personnel needs upgrading no matter who is the coach. And Marinelli isn't the only good DC out there.

Improve the talent this offseason and we won't need a miracle worker DC. Just a good solid coach. Plenty of those.

The problem would be giving the job to Eberflus.

Genghis Khan said:

That's the big problem here. Marinelli did a good job but the personnel needs upgrading no matter who is the coach. And Marinelli isn't the only good DC out there.

Improve the talent this offseason and we won't need a miracle worker DC. Just a good solid coach. Plenty of those.

The problem would be giving the job to Eberflus.

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I agree, although Eberflus has done a great job with basically chickenshit at LB. It seems we have a million injuries at the spot each year but always end up getting pretty solid LB play.

Anyway, I totally agree with upgrading the talent and not needing a miracle worker. The majority of what Marinelli brings to the table is passion and the emphasis on turnovers, he isn't some amazing strategist like LeBeau or something. If we can upgrade the overall talent and maintain the emphasis on turnovers the defense should at least be average next year, which is enough with our offense.

No surprise, the speculation has been out there that he would reunite with Lovie as soon as he was named head coach.

I agree, Simp. Our defense wasn't really that good but they played hard from start to finish and were opportunistic. If we can bring that back next year with upgraded personnel, we'll be fine.

Huge loss if true. For all the jokes, he did a tremendous job this year getting a bunch of scrubs to play pretty respectable defense.

Genghis Khan said:

That's the big problem here. Marinelli did a good job but the personnel needs upgrading no matter who is the coach. And Marinelli isn't the only good DC out there.

Improve the talent this offseason and we won't need a miracle worker DC. Just a good solid coach. Plenty of those.

The problem would be giving the job to Eberflus.

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Continuity, blah blah blah.

I really hope they look outside of the organization, although I get the Eberflus promotion.

If these guys didn't learn shit this year about how having quality coaching goes a long way, then they are dummies who deserve to watch the team return to mediocrity.

A huge reason for our success was that we finally had quality coaching for the first time in ages. To overlook that aspect would be a big mistake and we'd go right back to the type of gameday gaffes we've suffered through for most of the Garrett era.

If Romo can return next year at the same level, a good DC with some upgraded pieces along the DL and an edge rusher gets this team back to the playoffs.

It was nice getting a glimpse of what having a real coach is like. Too bad we couldn't have given him more talent to work with. But I guess you can't have everything. Maybe now we'll address the DL and safety and hope the new DC doesn't make them soft and gutless again.

Jerry Jones has lots of Cowboys coaching decisions to make
January, 12, 2015

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- For Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys' next season starts today.

“That’s one of the realistic things that happens when you’re through, you’re through immediately,” the Cowboys owner and general manager said after the Cowboys' 26-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Jones said there will be meetings with the players at noon CT.

The Cowboys have plenty of questions to answer before they reconvene as a full team but there are plenty to answer just with the coaching staff.

Jason Garrett’s contract expires. Scott Linehan is out of a contract and the Oakland Raiders have expressed interest in speaking with him about their head coaching vacancy. Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli is out of a contract and there are constant queries about him rejoining Lovie Smith with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, although that seems to be more people trying to connect dots rather than some sort of predetermined puzzle.

The majority of the coaching staff actually needs new deals, which could play a part in the Cowboys potentially not coaching in the Pro Bowl on Jan. 25.

Jones has said numerous times he believes this coaching staff might be the best since he took over in 1989.

Jones did not want to put anything on a timetable, but he did call Garrett “my coach of the year.” Only the Buffalo Bills have reportedly filled their head coaching opening. It is conceivable Garrett could draw interest from other teams looking for a coach after he directed the Cowboys to a 12-4 regular season.

When asked of his future after the game, Garrett said, “I’m not thinking about that right now.”

Jones was patient in Garrett’s development. It is difficult to think he would even allow Garrett the chance to explore options elsewhere.

“I’m very complimentary of the coaching job we’ve done, starting with Jason,” Jones said. “He did just an outstanding job, and he’s my coach of the year. Having been part of what made him have that success is what he did with the coordinators. They did a great job as well. In general, this staff is one that you’d like to keep going with a lot of other things influencing your ability to keep a staff together, especially since you’re dealing with about 23 of them.”

I wonder if the completely lazy vanilla gameplan vs. Green Bay had something to do with Marinelli being on the way out and not giving enough of a shit to draw up a blitz to go after Rodgers.