Rod Marinelli

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Rod Marinelli
Date of birth	July 13, 1949 (1949-07-13) (age 58)
Place of birth	Rosemead, California
Position(s)	Head Coach
College	California Lutheran University
Career Highlights
Regular Season	10-22-0
Postseason	0-0
Career Record	10-22-0
Coaching Stats	Pro Football Reference
Team(s) as a coach/administrator
1973-1975 1976-1981 1982 1983-1989 1990-1991 1992-1994 1995 1996-2001 2002-2005 2006-Present	Rosemead High School (Defensive coordinator) Utah State University (Defensive line coach) Utah State University (special teams coach) University of California (defensive line coach) University of California (defensive line and assistant head coach) Arizona State University (offensive line and assistant head coach) University of Southern California (Defensive line coach) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Defensive line coach) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (defensive line and assistant head coach) Detroit Lions (Head coach)

Rodney (Rod) Marinelli (born July 13, 1949 in Rosemead, California) is the head coach of the Detroit Lions, the twenty-fourth in franchise history.

Marinelli's coaching career began in 1973 as an assistant at Rosemead High School in suburban Los Angeles from 1973 to 1975. He earned his first collegiate job in 1976, serving as an assistant at Utah State University until 1982. He then moved on to the University of California for nine seasons, serving as the offensive line coach and later the assistant head coach. He was then on staff with Arizona State University for three seasons, again holding a dual role as defensive line and assistant head coach, between 1992 and 1994. Marinelli spent his final year in college football at University of Southern California in 1995.

Marinelli went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1996 and was the defensive line coach for six seasons under head coach Tony Dungy. The latter four seasons he also served as assistant head coach. He was known for his strict disciplinary style and his commitment to getting the most out of his players. There he worked to develop lineman such as Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice into Pro Bowl caliber players. During Marinelli's tenure in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers earned more sacks than any other franchise.

[edit] Detroit Lions

On January 18, 2006, Marinelli was named the head coach of the Detroit Lions, replacing Dick Jauron. Marinelli was the fourth coach hired by Lions CEO Matt Millen, preceded by Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci and Jauron.

The Marinelli era began poorly, as the Lions lost the first five games of the 2006 season before beating the Buffalo Bills 20-17. The Lions lost seven games in a row between weeks 10 and 16 before ending the year on a high note by beating the Dallas Cowboys 39-31.

The 2007 season started off well for the Lions as they roared to a 6-2 start, with credit being given to Marinelli's "Pound the Rock" approach. At one point, receiver Mike Furrey boasted, "The Lions are 4-2, media! "You can kiss my ass!" ^[1]

Despite winning the next two games after Furrey's comments, the Lions lost seven out of their last eight games, and finished the 2007 season with a 7-9 record, good enough for 3rd in the NFC North.

Rod Marinelli Quotes:

2007: "Even if you don't play well, you've got to play hard. If you don't, you become what you tolerate. If you tolerate poor practice habits, if you tolerate not finishing, if you tolerate lack of execution, that's what you become."

[edit] References