Rod Marinelli is set to hang up his coaching whistle after almost 50 years at the collegiate and NFL levels. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports the 72-year-old Marinelli is planning to retire and move to Texas.
Marinelli is best-known for the worst experience on his coaching ledger, his time as the Detroit Lions head coach from 2006-2008. His Lions went 10-38 and ended with the first 0-16 season in NFL history. It was Marinelli’s only head coaching experience.
Outside of Detroit, Marinelli has earned the reputation of being one of the greatest defensive line coaches of the Super Bowl era. A gifted teacher of technique with tough-nosed love for his players, Marinelli helped craft players like Warren Sapp, Tommie Harris and most recently Maxx Crosby–among many others–into very good NFL linemen.
He worked with Sapp as the DL coach and assistant head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996-2005, when he was hired by Lions GM Matt Millen to take over a Detroit team that slumped to a 5-11 finish.
After his unsuccessful reign in Detroit, Marinelli went on to lengthy stints as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach with the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys. He was most recently working with the DL in Las Vegas.
Former #Lions head coach and most recently #Raiders DL coach Rod Marinelli is planning to retire, sources say. He’s had interest in continuing to coach, but has packed up and headed to Texas. At 72, Marinelli has been one of the game’s most respected teachers.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 10, 2022
