5 reasons the Dallas Cowboys should hire Jon Gruden

3 of 5

DETROIT – 2008: Rod Marinelli of the Detroit Lions poses for his 2008 NFL headshot at photo day in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Getty Images) /

If we take a look back at the Tampa Bay coaching staff in 2002, we see some familiar names. Obviously Gruden tops that list, but there was also others that should ring a bell.

There was Jay Gruden, an offensive assistant and younger brother of Jon Gruden’s – more on him in a minute.

How about Mike Tomlin, current head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who figures to make a run at the AFC Championship game again. As mentioned before, Tomlin ended up beating out Gruden as the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl in 2008 (SB XLIII)

More from The Landry Hat

There was defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, who was outstanding in managing the stable of elite defensive talent that the Bucs possessed back then – five Pro Bowl players and also five All-Pros during that championship season.

But there was one more – a defensive line coach by the name of – wait for it – Rod Marinelli. That’s right, the defensive line coach was the assistant head coach and, of course, Marinelli would go on to become a head coach with the Detroit Lions.

You think Jon Gruden couldn’t work with Marinelli once again?

This could actually be a huge pull towards getting Gruden to start thinking about Dallas as opposed to Tampa Bay. Not only is Marinelli a person that Gruden probably still trusts, but the Dallas defense looks closer to being a dominant unit than anything going in Tamp Bay at this time.

If you’re Jon Gruden, you have to like Marinelli’s ability to squeeze blood from a turnip the last few years with a defense that’s had it’s share of holes. A young secondary in 2017 won’t be nearly as young in 2018 and the Cowboys will add more pieces to the puzzle during the offseason.

As Gruden has been rumored to be contacting potential assistant coaches in preparation for an NFL ‘comeback tour,’ is it possible that Gruden has already spoken with Marinelli? I don’t think it can overstated just how important Super Bowl-winning personnel is in the NFL and Gruden and Marinelli would have to be a natural fit – but only in Big D.

Home/Cowboys News