After a year of coaching on the collegiate level with the Alabama Crimson Tide, former Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone is back in the NFL.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the veteran head coach is returning to one of the first NFL teams he was employed by in the New Orleans Saints. And while it wasn’t disclosed what role he will hold, Rapoport added that he will have a key role coaching the offensive side of the football.
When the 2022 season starts, Marrone will be entering his 16th as an NFL coach. He got his start in the NFL with the New York Jets in 2002 and remained there until 2005 as their offensive line coach.
Then in 2006, he joined Sean Payton and the Saints from 2006-08 before becoming the head coach of his alma mater in the University of Syracuse for four seasons. He then found his way to Buffalo with the Bills for two seasons as a head coach before finally joining the Jags as an assistant under Gus Bradley.
The early firing of Bradley propelled Marrone to the Jags head coaching role as an interim in December of 2016, and in the following month, it was announced that Marrone would hold on to the role minus the interim tag.
Marrone held the title as the Jags’ head coach from 2017-20 and was fired last January. He was able to accumulate a record of 23–43 (.348) and a playoff record of 2–1 (.667).
Marrone will join the Saints after being with the Alabama Crimson Tide throughout another impressive run where they went to the national championship. Along the way, he coached star tackle Evan Neal, who could end up being selected first overall in April’s draft.
Marrone will coach under Dennis Allen during this run with the Saints as Payton stepped away from the game in January. However, there is still some familiarity with the head coach as Allen and Marrone were on the same Saints’ staff from 2006-08.