Report: Marinelli gets offer from Bears

SportsWorld · Post #1 » by **SportsWorld** » Tue Jan 6, 2009 12:15 am

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribu ... inell.html

The Bears are certain to have a new defensive line coach next season, but will it be Rod Marinelli?

A radio station in Detroit reported that the former Lions coach received a formal offer from the Bears to coach the defensive line. Marinelli met with Lovie Smith last week and is reportedly now in Seattle receiving consideration for the Seahawks' defensive coordinator position.

Marinelli's agent, Frank Bauer, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Brick Haley, the Bears defensive line coach, was spotted on the LSU campus Monday afternoon, according to Randy Rosetta of the Baton Rouge Advocate. Haley is expected to assume the same title with the Tigers, although head coach Les Miles has yet to confirm the hiring.

The Explorer · Post #2 » by **The Explorer** » Tue Jan 6, 2009 1:35 am

Unless he also gets the assistant coach title, why would he accept d-line coach over DC in Seattle?

I'm just waiting for Babich to get fired, any day now...

ChronicKerr · Post #3 » by **ChronicKerr** » Tue Jan 6, 2009 3:59 am

I'm glad they're moving fairly quickly with this formal offer. I hope he accepts but it's hard to imagine him taking such a downgrade rather than taking a full DC position if such a position is available to him.

Ruben Douglas · Post #4 » by **Ruben Douglas** » Tue Jan 6, 2009 4:48 am

ChronicKerr wrote:I'm glad they're moving fairly quickly with this formal offer. I hope he accepts but it's hard to imagine him taking such a downgrade rather than taking a full DC position if such a position is available to him.

When the team you coach goes 0-16 is it really a downgrade to still have a job in any capacity?

I think if he takes the offer there will be some sort of hidden verbal agreement to take over as DC or some other weird thing.

ChronicKerr · Post #5 » by **ChronicKerr** » Tue Jan 6, 2009 4:59 pm

You would think so but that is not the case. It's a downgrade if there's a higher position available to you. He's a good defensive minded coach. The Lions have plenty of other problems besides him. At least they finally fired Millen. All my best friends are Lions fans so it was quite an enjoyable year despite the fact we screwed ourselves outta the playoffs.

Cliff Levingston · Post #6 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Tue Jan 6, 2009 5:29 pm

If the Bears aren't willing to fire Babich to make room for Marinelli at the DC, then they're stupid. Marinelli might not have been the best head coach but it's really hard to tell either way when you coach the Lions; that's like trying to determine if Cable is a good coach for coaching the Raiders. One thing is for sure; the man is a great defensive line coach and has the makings of being a very good if not great defensive coordinator. If we can get him for the D-line then great, but if he says he won't settle for anything less than a D-coordinator job, Cliff Levingston would fire Babich instantly for him.

nitetrain8603 · Post #7 » by **nitetrain8603** » Tue Jan 6, 2009 8:45 pm

I'd fire Babich for him in a second. Heck, I rather have Mike Martz coach the defense. Yes, that's not a typo, I think his inexperience at defensive coordinator would do better than Babich and all his experience.

Chi Dynasty12 · Post #8 » by **Chi Dynasty12** » Tue Jan 6, 2009 10:17 pm

baBICH can go

Those final 7 seconds in ATL was enough to do it for me.

Chewie · Post #9 » by **Chewie** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 6:36 am

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2009/01/barring_another_visit_marinell.html#more

Barring another visit, Marinelli to choose between Bears, Texans
By Brad Biggs
on January 9, 2009 10:02 PM

Unless there is another stop on the Rod Marinelli NFL Tour, he will be choosing between the Bears and Houston Texans at any time.

Word out of Seattle is that Marinelli is no longer in consideration for the defensive coordinator position with the Seahawks. The National Football Post reported Thursday that Jim Mora had hired Casey "Gus'' Bradley for the job, although no official word has come on that. However, it's at least in line with what we're hearing from the Emerald City, that Marinelli is no longer in the works there.

That means it could come down to the Texans and deep-pocketed owner Bob McNair and the Bears, where Marinelli has personal ties with several people, most importantly head coach Lovie Smith.

Marinelli, 59, visited Halas Hall on Jan. 2 and was in Houston to meet with Texans coach Gary Kubiak on Thursday. Marinelli said he would wait a few days to see how things work out. We're not sure how much there is to sort through if it's down to these two teams. Marinelli was courted to be the defensive line coach in Houston where Mario Williams is a one-man band. Here, he'd be charged with rebuilding a line anchored by former Pro Bowl tackle Tommie Harris.

The Lions are on the hook for one more year with Marinelli at $2 million. That means if the Texans or Bears were to hire him to coach the line at $1 million per year, they would pay him that amount and Detroit would be responsible for the remaining $1 million.

That kind of price tag isn't out of line with what some of the top position coaches in the league are receiving, and Marinelli certainly holds a reputation as a fine line coach. But that would surely be richer than the Bears would want to go. So it could come down to more money in Houston or a chance to reunite with Smith & Co.

Stay tuned.