we got Marinellli

Adibear · Sat Jan 10, 2009 5:07 pm

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears on Saturday agreed to terms with Rod Marinelli to serve as their defensive line coach/assistant head coach.

Rod Marinelli, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith coached together with the Buccaneers from 1996-2000.
Marinelli, 59, comes to Chicago with 13 years of NFL experience. He was a highly-respected defensive line coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996-2005 before spending three seasons as head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2006-08.

Marinelli and Bears coach Lovie Smith worked together for five seasons with the Buccaneers as defensive assistants on Tony Dungy’s staff from 1996-2000. The two roomed together for part of their tenure. Marinelli also worked with Bears general manager Jerry Angelo in Tampa.

In his end-of-the-season press conference, Angelo made it clear that he would welcome the opportunity to hire the former Lions coach.

“I think the world of Rod Marinelli,” Angelo said Dec. 30. “I would love to have Rod Marinelli on our staff, and I think Lovie would say the same thing. He’s a great football coach.

“Anytime you get a chance to get a great coach or great player, you’re not going to sit here and say that you wouldn’t consider him or you wouldn’t work a way to do that.

Marinelli won a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in 2003, while helping to transform defensive tackle Warren Sapp and defensive end Simeon Rice into Pro Bowlers.

Marinelli was fired by the Lions on Dec. 29 after compiling a 10-38 record in three seasons, including the first 0-16 mark in NFL history in 2008.

A Vietnam veteran, Marinelli is known as a disciplinarian. In Chicago, he’ll try to help the Bears resuscitate a pass rush that faltered in 2008 while working with a group that includes veterans Tommie Harris, Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye, and youngsters Mark Anderson and Marcus Harrison.

Marinelli interviewed with the Bears, Seahawks and Texans before agreeing to terms with Chicago.

G08 · Sat Jan 10, 2009 6:23 pm

Well, cool.

Sucks that Babich is still around however.

Sat Jan 10, 2009 6:50 pm

I'm shocked.

[/sarcasm]

ghost of halas · Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:06 pm

This is going to be a great move for the team. Marinelli brings some credibility to the defensive coaching staff. The players respect that. Hopefully that respect turns into production.

G08 · Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:02 am

I've gotta agree with ya goh (good to see you again!). I think our defensive line as a whole underperformed last season, and I'm hoping that Rod Marinelli can get some more production out of them. That and I'm pretty sure we'll be taking a DE with our first pick.

IE · Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:22 pm

I'm good with Marinelli as DLC ... he's a proven commodity in that role (and a good one).

The Asst HC thing is pretty weird, IMO. As the DLC he'd normally report to Babich. But as AHC he'd be "between" Lovie & Babich. It is possible that was the only way that they would "get" Marinelli to come on board, and it is just a non-functional title.

I'm wondering what they are trying to accompllish with that if it is more? I wouldn't trust Marinelli as DC any more than Babich.

G08 · Sun Jan 11, 2009 1:36 pm

I think the assistant head coach title protects Marinelli from being "courted" by other teams that want to hire him as a defensive coordinator. It's why we put that title on Babich a couple of years ago (Buffalo was sniffing around).

gaba · Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:38 pm

Partly because I'm just trying to be okay with this but... I'm kind of hoping the Asst. HC thing isn't just a title. Not that Marinelli's anything special, but Lovie could use all the help he can get.

Do you think the Bills are still interested in Babich? Maybe we could trade him for a blocking sled or a watercooler.

G08 · Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:50 am

A blocking sled that we haven't used since Lovie got here.

Hopefully that'll change with Marinelli, but who knows.

Mon Jan 12, 2009 3:53 pm

On a side note, Joe Barry, Marinelli's son in law, was hired by the Seahawks so the whole "family affair" thing won't be happening next season. I guess that'll make firing everybody in a couple years all the more easier.

Boris13c · Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:17 am

well, we knew this was going to happen whether we wanted it to or not ...Marinelli is another of Lovie Dovie's long time shower buddies, so of course he's going to hire him

and yes Marinelli was, at one time, a highly touted assistant coach which is why he got the chance to be a head coach

still, taking everything into consideration, I don't like this move ... taking it a demented step further, I would have been more accepting of Lovie Dovie getting fired and Marinelli taking over the head job

G08 · Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:49 am

I can't sit here and say I'd want Lovie fired for a guy that just went 0-16 as a head coach.

gaba · Tue Jan 13, 2009 11:28 am

G08 wrote:A blocking sled that we haven't used since Lovie got here.

Hopefully that'll change with Marinelli, but who knows.

I don't think the sled's got a lot of value to the D-Line anyway. Our O-Line could sure as hell use the work though.

Boris13c · Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:47 pm

G08 wrote:I can't sit here and say I'd want Lovie fired for a guy that just went 0-16 as a head coach.

betcha he's motivated, and certainly looks like he has a pulse at least

Calle · Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:15 pm

I have become to like this...hope I am right

Adibear · Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:23 pm

Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:07 pm

http://bearsfansonline.com/phpBB3/viewt ... ?f=2&t=664

Pagan · Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:36 pm

I guess we'll find out if Marinelli is really that good of a D Line coach or if he simply looked like a genius due to having 2 very good D Lineman on the team.

Who cares- so long as this D Line starts to really perfom like its supposed to. Lovies defense is predicated on getting pressure with the front four (like any other) if that happens all of the sudden Tillman and Vasher look like pro-bowlers again and safety doesnt look so bad.

pagan