Rod Marinelli
Coaching Record
| Years Coached | Record | Win % | Playoff record | Playoff win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 217-200-0 | 52.04% | 8-10 | 44.44% |
Coaching Tree
Parents:
Children:
Biography
Table of Contents
Career Summary
Rod Marinelli was a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1996 to 2021, finishing his career as the defensive line coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Over his twenty-six years of coaching his teams compiled a cumulative win/loss record of 217-200-0. He was the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2006 until the 2008 season, during which time the Lions went 10-38-0. During his career he was a head coach for three seasons. He was fired from the Lions on Monday, December 29, 2008.
Rod Marinelli Coaching Tree
Before he was a head coach, Marinelli served as an assistant coach for Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden, Lovie Smith, and Jason Garrett. Seven of these years were spent on Garrett's coaching staff. One assistant coach from his coaching staffs, Adam Gase, was eventually hired as a head coach. After coaching on Rod Marinelli's coaching staff, he was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets for five seasons where he combined for a regular season record of 32-48-0 and 0-1 in the playoffs.
Playing Career
Marinelli played offensive tackle while at college.
Personal Information
Marinelli was born on Wednesday, July 13, 1949 in Rosemead, California.
Table of Contents
Playing Career
Marinelli played college football for California Lutheran University where he would play from 1970 through 1972. In his last year playing, he earned NAIA All-American honors as an offensive tackle.
Coaching Career
Rosemead High School
Marinelli got his first coaching job for Rosemead High School. After leaving the college players scene he decided to teach at his old high school before being hired on for the football team. He worked as an assistant for the suburban Los Angeles high school for three years from 1973 through 1975 before moving up to the college ranks. The school’s football field is now named after him in honor of his accomplishments and his graduation in '67.
Utah State University
He entered the collegiate world of coaching in 1976 when he took over the defensive line coach position for Utah State. His last year with the Utes he was switched from his normal coaching position on the defensive line to the offensive line/special teams coach. During his time with the Utes he would coach Rulon Jones, future Denver Broncos Pro Bowl defensive end.
University of California at Berkeley
In 1983 he was brought onto the coach’s roster for Berkeley as their defensive line coach until 1989. Throughout every season he spent on the defense, they never had a single winning record. The closest the team managed to get was a 5-5-1 record in both 1983 and 1988. When 1987 rolled around, new Head Coach Bruce Snyder would take over the team. In 1990 he was promoted to assistant head coach/defensive line coach where he would finish out his time with the school, and earn two bowl victories back to back in 1990 (Copper Bowl) and 1991 (Citrus Bowl) – a first in the school’s history. After the 1991 season he departed from the school and headed to Arizona.
Arizona State University
Marinelli got another chance to work as assistant head coach/defensive line coach in 1992 when he was hired on at Arizona State under their new head coach, Bruce Snyder – who came from Berkeley with the full intention of bringing Marinelli. For the first two seasons he was with the team they managed a 6-5 record both times, and his final season the team went 3-8. He left the team at the completion of the 1994 season and headed back to California.
University of Southern California
In 1995 Marinelli spent his very last year-to-date coaching college football at the University of Southern California. He was hired on as a defensive line coach by John Robinson and went on to assist the team winning the Rose Bowl in a 9-2-1 season. He left the team upon the end of the 1995 season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
From 1996 all the way through to 2005, Marinelli was hired for his first NFL coaching position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He joined under defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, whom he would come to work with until his departure from the team. He also worked with Lovie Smith, whom he would coach with again in 2009. For the first six years of his nine year tenure with the team he was strictly the defensive line coach. In 1999 the team finished first in the NFC Central Division before losing in the playoffs versus the Los Angeles Rams.
In 2002 he was promoted to assistant head coach/defensive line coach for the team by new Head Coach Jon Gruden, the position he would remain in until his departure from the team. In Marinelli’s first season in his new position the Buccaneers won Super Bowl against the Las Vegas Raiders 48-21. In 2005 the team made it to the playoffs after winning the NFC South but lost their first game against theWashington Commanders. He left the team after the 2005 season.
Detroit Lions
Marinelli got his first head coach job with the Detroit Lions, being publicly named January 18th of 2006. After being hired and starting the job he hired his son-in-law Joe Barry as the team’s new defensive coordinator. During the 2008 season the team started off with a perfect 4-0 in the pre-season; however once the season actually began the team went 0-16. This was the very first team to lose every game in a season since the implementation of the 16 game seasons in 1978 and part of the NFL’s worst eight season stretch for any team since World War II.
Chicago Bears
After his final season with the Lions he joined on with the Chicago Bears as assistant head coach/defensive line coach in 2009. This move reunited him with Lovie Smith, whom he worked with in Tampa. He held the title of assistant head coach throughout his four seasons with the team, but added defensive coordinator beginning in 2010. The Bears won the NFC North in 2010, going 1-1 in the playoffs.
Dallas Cowboys
In 2013 he was named the new defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys and was later promoted to defensive coordinator a year later. It was here that he reunited with Monte Kiffin, whom he had previously worked with in Tampa Bay.
History
| Year | Position | Record | Playoff record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Las Vegas Raiders | Defensive Line Coach | 10-7-0 | 0-1 |
| 2020 Las Vegas Raiders | Defensive Line Coach | 8-8-0 | 0-0 |
| 2019 Dallas Cowboys | Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Line Coach | 8-8-0 | 0-0 |
| 2018 Dallas Cowboys | Defensive Coordinator | 10-6-0 | 1-1 |
| 2017 Dallas Cowboys | Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Line Coach | 9-7-0 | 0-0 |
| 2016 Dallas Cowboys | Defensive Coordinator | 13-3-0 | 0-1 |
| 2015 Dallas Cowboys | Defensive Coordinator | 4-12-0 | 0-0 |
| 2014 Dallas Cowboys | Defensive Coordinator | 12-4-0 | 1-1 |
| 2013 Dallas Cowboys | Defensive Line Coach | 8-8-0 | 0-0 |
| 2012 Chicago Bears | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator | 10-6-0 | 0-0 |
| 2011 Chicago Bears | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator | 8-8-0 | 0-0 |
| 2010 Chicago Bears | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator | 11-5-0 | 1-1 |
| 2009 Chicago Bears | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach | 7-9-0 | 0-0 |
| 2008 Detroit Lions | Head Coach | 0-16-0 | 0-0 |
| 2007 Detroit Lions | Head Coach | 7-9-0 | 0-0 |
| 2006 Detroit Lions | Head Coach | 3-13-0 | 0-0 |
| 2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach | 11-5-0 | 0-1 |
| 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach | 5-11-0 | 0-0 |
| 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach | 7-9-0 | 0-0 |
| 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach | 12-4-0 | 3-0 |
| 2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Defensive Line Coach | 9-7-0 | 0-1 |
| 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Defensive Line Coach | 10-6-0 | 0-1 |
| 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Defensive Line Coach | 11-5-0 | 1-1 |
| 1998 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Defensive Line Coach | 8-8-0 | 0-0 |
| 1997 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Defensive Line Coach | 10-6-0 | 1-1 |
| 1996 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Defensive Line Coach | 6-10-0 | 0-0 |
| 1995 USC Trojans | Defensive Line Coach | 9-2-1 | |
| 1994 Arizona State Sun Devils | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach | 3-8-0 | |
| 1993 Arizona State Sun Devils | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach | 6-5-0 | |
| 1992 Arizona State Sun Devils | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach | 6-5-0 | |
| 1991 California Golden Bears | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach | 10-2-0 | |
| 1990 California Golden Bears | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach | 7-4-1 | |
| 1989 California Golden Bears | Defensive Line Coach | 4-7-0 | |
| 1988 California Golden Bears | Defensive Line Coach | 5-5-1 | |
| 1987 California Golden Bears | Defensive Line Coach | 3-6-2 | |
| 1986 California Golden Bears | Defensive Line Coach | 2-9-0 | |
| 1985 California Golden Bears | Defensive Line Coach | 4-7-0 | |
| 1984 California Golden Bears | Defensive Line Coach | 2-9-0 | |
| 1983 California Golden Bears | Defensive Line Coach | 5-5-1 | |
| 1982 Utah State Aggies | Offensive Line Coach / Special Teams Coach | 5-6-0 | |
| 1981 Utah State Aggies | Defensive Line Coach | 5-5-1 | |
| 1980 Utah State Aggies | Defensive Line Coach | 6-5-0 | |
| 1979 Utah State Aggies | Defensive Line Coach | 7-3-1 | |
| 1978 Utah State Aggies | Defensive Line Coach | 7-4-0 | |
| 1977 Utah State Aggies | Defensive Line Coach | 4-7-0 | |
| 1976 Utah State Aggies | Defensive Line Coach | 3-8-0 | |
| 1975 Rosemead High, California | Assistant Coach | ||
| 1974 Rosemead High, California | Assistant Coach | ||
| 1973 Rosemead High, California | Assistant Coach |
Coach history guide
| Seasons with a championship win | Seasons with a conference championship |
Coach facts
- Years as head coach: 3
- Years as a coordinator: 9
- Championships won: 2002
- Conference Championships won: 2002
- Past teams coached for: Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- College Attended: Utah Utes
- Position Played: Offensive Tackle
- Date of Birth: Wednesday, July 13, 1949 (75 years old), Rosemead, California