Cowboys hire Marinelli as new D-Line coach, reunite with Kiffin
The Cowboys’ defensive staff is beginning to look more like the successful Tampa Bay staff of the late ‘90s. Rod Marinelli is set to rejoin defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin as the Cowboys’ new defensive line coach, after leaving his post as the defensive coordinator of the Bears. Marinelli indicated to incoming Bears head coach Marc Trestman he was ready to move on after Chicago fired head coach Lovie Smith. Marinelli coached for four seasons under Smith in Chicago, including three as the defensive coordinator, after spending five seasons with Smith in Tampa Bay. Smith and Marinelli were both position coaches for the Buccaneers, who utilized Kiffin’s “Tampa 2” defense. Marinelli spent 10 seasons as the defensive line coach in Tampa Bay from 1996-2005, also picking up the title of assistant head coach in 2002. It didn’t take long for Marinelli to come down to meet with the Cowboys’ organization after Kiffin rejoined the professional ranks. Marinelli was at Valley Ranch on Friday, and clearly the Cowboys didn’t want to let him leave without reaching an agreement. The move forces Brian Baker out as defensive line coach after two seasons with the Cowboys. Kiffin and Marinelli led one of the premier defenses in the league throughout their tenure together in Tampa Bay. Only once in those 10 seasons did the Bucs finish outside the top 10 in total defense, and that was in Marinelli’s first season, when they ended the year at No. 11. The season after Marinelli left, the Bucs finished 17th in the league in total defense. The Bucs ranked in the top 10 in sacks five different seasons during Marinelli’s tenure in Tampa Bay. The defense finished No. 2 in the league in sacks in 2000 and 2004. After a rough head coaching stint in Detroit, winning 10 games in three seasons, Marinelli returned to what he excelled at in the NFL. He coached Chicago’s defensive line and served as an assistant coach for Smith in 2009 before becoming the Bears’ defensive coordinator the next three seasons. Chicago ranked in the top 10 in sacks, interceptions and forced fumbles in 2012, while finishing with the league’s No. 5 total defense. The Bears led the league with 24 interceptions, returning eight of them for touchdowns, including two at Cowboys Stadium. The Bears, who hired former Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis and running backs coach Skip Peete earlier this week, more than tripled the amount of the Cowboys’ seven interceptions this season. Dallas finished last in the league in the category. Marinelli is the first hire from Kiffin’s former Tampa Bay staff. He’s demonstrated his worth as a defensive position coach, as well as what he can do when given the role as a coordinator.
New York Jets hire Marty Mornhinweg as OC
The New York Jets have hired former Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, a team source told NFL.com's Albert Breer. The Jets fired coordinator Tony Sparano after a season that can best be described as "turbulent." Mornhinweg joined the Eagles in 2003 and was named offensive coordinator in 2006. The unit was a Top 10 scoring offense from 2008-11, though Andy Reid is normally credited for that success. The Jets were the No. 28 scoring offense in 2012 and the No. 30 pass offense. Starter Mark Sanchez performed so poorly he was benched for Greg McElroy. Tim Tebow was so unimpressive in practice the coaching staff never gave him the chance to start. So the immediate question becomes: Will Mornhinweg try to bring Michael Vick along?
John Idzik named next New York Jets GM
The New York Jets search for a general manager is over. John Idzik, formerly with the Seattle Seahawks front office, is expected to be the next GM of the Jets, a source apprised of the search said. The Jets formally announced the news on Twitter. The other candidates in the search were informed that Idzik was to be offered the job. Jets identified Idzik as their man on Thursday, and worked on negotiations last night and into today to lock him up as their next general manager.The other candidates in the search were informed that Idzik was to be offered the job. Idzik was put on the road to do some college scouting the last couple years by Seahawks GM John Schneider, with an eye toward taking this next step. He also has a wealth of experience with rebuilding efforts, having been part of Schneider's project in Seattle and also Tony Dungy's reworking of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization in the mid-1990s.
The Indianapolis Colts have hired Pep Hamilton to replace offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, Sports Illustrated's Jim Trotter first reported. Arians was hired by the Arizona Cardinals to replace fired coach Ken Whisenhunt. Hamilton reportedly interviewed with the New York Jets on Tuesday. Owner Jim Irsay tweeted: "COLTS O. could have some pep to it this fall." Hamilton was the Stanford offensive coordinator the last two seasons and coached Colts quarterback Andrew Luck as a senior. He spent time with the Baltimore Ravens, Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears before being hired to coach receivers at Stanford in 2010. He was promoted to offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 2011. This is one of the best-case-scenarios for the Colts. You don't want your young phenom quarterback having to switch coordinators every year. Ask Sam Bradford about that. Luck wanted Arians back, but Hamilton will be a familiar face. The relationship with Luck and his development had to be the No. 1 factor in the hiring process.
Mike Shula promoted by Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers decided to go with continuity over track record when choosing their next offensive coordinator. The Panthers have promoted quarterbacks coach Mike Shula to offensive coordinator. The team also interviewed Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur and Cincinnati Bengals assistant coach Hue Jackson for the vacant coordinator job. Jackson, who engineered some nice offenses in Oakland, looked like the best choice from the outside. Shula has 21 years of NFL coaching experience, but struggled in a stint as Alabama head coach. He also did not do well as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator from 1996-99. Shula will continue to work with Cam Newton and the team's other quarterbacks. His promotion gives Newton a chance to stay in the same offensive system, with Rob Chudzinski having left for the Browns' top job. Carolina relied heavily on vertical passing. The team also promoted Ricky Proehl to receivers coach, and interim special teams coordinator Richard Rodgers will run the special teams.
Ray Horton named Browns defensive coordinator
It didn't take long for Ray Horton to find a new home. On the same day Bruce Arians was introduced as the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, the Cleveland Browns announced Horton as the new defensive coordinator on Rob Chudzinski's staff. Horton spent the past two seasons in the same position with the Cardinals. "We are truly excited that we were able to get someone of Ray's caliber as our defensive coordinator," Chudzinski said in a statement released by the team. "He possesses a great deal of experience as a player, position coach and coordinator in the NFL and has been part of some of the top defenses in the league throughout his career. He is an extremely talented coach and I know that he will work very well with the young nucleus of players we have on defense." Horton is viewed as a rising star in the league, and he'll try to use this upcoming season with the Browns as leverage to land a coaching job in 2014. The Browns obviously know this, but that didn't outweigh the fact that Horton presided over a good Arizona defense in his two years with the team. Cleveland is hoping for similar results with a unit that ranked 23th in total defense this season. Horton interviewed twice for the Cardinals' top job, and reportedly was involved in a heated exchange with Cardinals general manager Steve Keim when he was told he would not be hired as Ken Whisenhunt's replacement.
Bruce Arians explaines why Ray Horton is out in Arizona
Early in his introductory press conference on Friday, new Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians reminded the assembled media how close his new team came to the promised land in the not-too-distant past. "A short time ago, this organization was 37 seconds away from a Super Bowl trophy. I just happened to be calling the plays on the other side," Arians said, drawing laughs. "Got really lucky, too."Arians and Ray Horton were assistant coaches together when the Pittsburgh Steelers narrowly defeated the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLVIII. There will be no reunion for the men, however. Arians confirmed Friday that Horton is out as defensive coordinator in Arizona. "I've got all the respect in the world about the way we worked together in Pittsburgh," said Arians, who believes Horton will get a head-coaching job eventually. "We worked together with a Super Bowl team and he's done a great job here. But having (a head-coach job) for my first time this is a direction I feel very strong about. "It needed to be a football team that was directed by me. And any time there's carry over, you don't want guys being able to go somewhere else to voice their opinion," Arians continued. "I didn't want to put Ray in the situation, that's not fair to him. If a guy's got a gripe or concern, come to me and that's just the way we're going to do business." Horton reportedly got into a heated exchange with general manager Steve Keim after he learned he didn't get the job that eventually went to Arians. If true, it makes sense why Arians believed a clean slate was necessary.
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