Though initial reports of the move came out three weeks ago, the Raiders have finally made the hiring of Rod Marinelli as Defensive Line Coach official. In addition, they announced one other coaching hire, adding Austin King as Offensive Quality Control coach.
Welcome to the Silver and Black.
Coach Marinelli and Coach King have joined our staff: https://t.co/2Crlb8XmSt pic.twitter.com/AYaiBsmpo1
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) February 5, 2020
Marinelli will enter his 25th season as an NFL coach. He most recently was the Defensive Coordinator on Jason Garrett’s staff with the Cowboys the past six seasons.
In his seven total seasons with the Cowboys, Marinelli helped the defense lead the league in run defense in 2016 and the defense finish in the top ten three times (2017-19), led the league in run defense in and the club won three NFC East titles (2014, 2016 and 2018) during his tenure, having advanced to the divisional round in each of those three seasons.
For five consecutive seasons (2014-18), Marinelli’s defense improved its total ranking from the year prior, finishing seventh in 2018 after ranking eighth in 2017.
A longtime respected defensive mind, Marinelli got his first NFL gig as the Defensive Line coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1996. When Jon Gruden took over in 2002, he kept Marinelli on, promoting him to Assistant Head Coach and that defensive line was a major factor in leading the Bucs to a Super Bowl title. Though, oddly, no one can remember who they beat in the Super Bowl.
Over his 10 seasons with the Buccaneers, the defensive line tallied an NFL-best 328.5 sacks. Prior to 2019, the team’s top-five single-season sack totals all came under Marinelli’s tenure (1997, 1999-2000, 2002 and 2004), with a franchise-best 55 sacks recorded in 2000 that still holds today. From 1999-2003, the team logged a sack in 69 consecutive games, marking a new NFL record.
He would leave Gruden’s staff in 2005 to become the head coach of the Lions, a job he held for three seasons. Then he spent four seasons with the Bears, three as Defensive Coordinator.
Over his three years in Chicago leading the Bears defensive unit, the team forced a league-best 59 fumbles and recorded 65 interceptions, third-most in the NFL over that span, while returning a league-high 13 interceptions for touchdowns. His defense also allowed just 904 points during that same time frame, the fourth-fewest in the NFL.
Austin King joins the team as an Offensive Quality Control coach. He brings eight years of collegiate coaching experience. He has spent the past five years with the University of Dayton, including the past three years as an offensive coordinator.
Gruden is familiar with King because he drafted him. In 2003, while head coach of the Buccaneers, Gruden selected King in the 4th round (133 overall) out of Northwestern. The former center/guard never played for Gruden in Tampa. He would later play 34 games in three seasons for the Atlanta Falcons.
Just like Gruden to keep bringing in familiar faces.
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