Bears hire ex-Lions coach Marinelli as assistant has 0 comments

Jan 11th 2009, 11:24 | FFN-Score: 3 points

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Rod Marinelli joined the Chicago Bears as a defensive line coach Saturday, returning to his roots after becoming the NFL's first head coach to post an 0-16 season.

Marinelli went 10-38 in three years as the Detroit Lions' head coach and was fired after failing to win a game this season. But before that, he was Tampa Bay's defensive line coach for a decade. The Buccaneers' line racked up 328.5 sacks under Marinelli, the most in the league during that span.

Marinelli also will serve as the Bears' assistant head coach. He held that title his last four seasons in Tampa.

Marinelli's hiring in Chicago didn't come as a surprise. He and Bears coach Lovie Smith are friends who worked together with the Bucs. Chicago tried to hire Marinelli as defensive coordinator in 2004, but Tampa Bay blocked the move. Bears general manager Jerry Angelo had said he'd like to hire Marinelli after the coach was fired in Detroit.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press