Cowboys Hoping Rod Marinelli Will Stay

Marinelli oversaw a much improved defense in his first year as Cowboys defensive coordinator

Not surprisingly, the players on the Dallas Cowboys defense are hoping defensive coordinator and coaching free agent Rod Marinelli comes back in 2015 and beyond.

The Cowboys finished 19th in total defense and 15th in scoring defense, but that was a lot better than many people thought they’d be following a historically bad 2014 and an offseason that saw DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher depart in free agency. Which is to say the group overachieved in a major way under Marinelli in his first season as coordinator.

Tell him he better stay here, man,” said defensive end Jeremy Mincey, per ESPN Dallas. “I got so much respect for Coach Rod, man. If he did leave, I would still be happy for him, but we definitely want him here. We got a lot of love and respect for him. He coaches the game the right way and he’s one of the greatest to do it.”

Of course, at the moment, it’s looking like the Cowboys defenders won’t be getting their wish. It’s already being reported that Marinelli is expected to take the reins of the defense in Tampa Bay, under his old friend Lovie Smith.

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