Cowboys Marinelli Out, but He's Going to Raiders, Per Report, 'Not Vietnam'
FRISCO - Outgoing Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli isn’t being "sent back to Vietnam.'' But he is going to the Raiders.
Per a report, Raiders coach Jon Gruden has fired defensive line coach Brenston Buckner and is expected to replace him with Marinelli, Gruden's long-time associate from their highly-successful times together in Tampa Bay.
Marinelli, 70, spent seven years with the Cowboys, the final six as defensive coordinator, working alongside Kris Richard. Neither Marinelli nor Richard was expected to be retained by new coach Mike McCarthy, who indeed has tabbed his long-time associate, Mike Nolan, to take over as Dallas' defensive coordinator.
Marinelli, the subject of numerous retirement rumors, recently said he has not made a decision on his future. But he communicated with a handful of reporters to joke about the time he served in the U.S. Military.
“I am going to be fine,” Marinelli said. “It’s not like they’re sending me back to the jungle of Vietnam.''
Marinelli was once the head coach in Detroit, but his greatest successes came back in the late 90's as the defensive line coach in Tampa.
