DT Warren Sapp collected a career-high 12 1/2 sacks in 1999, earning NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press and his third Pro Bowl berth. He became the first Buccaneer since Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon (1979) to win the AP honor. But Sapp’s linemates also turned in outstanding seasons. DT Brad Culpepper paced the line with 72 tackles and added six sacks. DE Chidi Ahanotu posted 6 1/2 sacks, while first-year starter Steve White emerged as a force during Tampa Bay’s playoff run. And Marcus Jones, who moved from tackle to end, collected 36 tackles and seven sacks after posting just 32 stops and one sack in his three previous seasons. Marinelli also saw flashes of brilliance from rookie DT Anthony McFarland, the Buccaneers’ first-round pick last year.

Marinelli’s troops helped the Buccaneers rank fifth in the league against the run and third in total defense. Tampa Bay allowed just three 100-yard rushers. Sapp (42), Culpepper (33) and Ahanotu (27 1/2) all rank among the top five on Tampa Bay’s all-time sack list.

In 1998, Marinelli’s unit collected 37 sacks and ranked eighth in the league against the run. In 1997, Tampa Bay’s defensive line racked up a club single-season record 44 sacks. That season, Sapp emerged as a bonafide star, Ahanotu turned in a career year and Culpepper shed the overachiever mantle as the Bucs made their first playoff appearance in 15 years.

A veteran of 20 seasons as a college assistant coach, Marinelli came to Tampa Bay after spending the 1995 season as the defensive line coach at Southern Cal under John Robinson. From 1992-94, Marinelli was the assistant head coach/defensive line for head coach Bruce Snyder at Arizona State. In 1993, three of his starting linemen earned All-Pac- 10 honors. Shante Carver was an All-America pick and was also a finalist for the Outland and Lombardi trophies before being selected in the first round of the draft by the Dallas Cowboys.

From 1983-91, Marinelli coached the defensive line at California, adding assistant head coach to his title for his final two Golden Bear seasons. Snyder became the school’s head coach in 1987 and retained Marinelli. While at California, Marinelli coached several future NFLers including Ahanotu, Rhett Hall and Natu Tuatagaloa.

Marinelli’s first coaching job came in 1976 from Snyder who was then the head coach at Utah State. From 1976-81, Marinelli oversaw the Aggies’ defensive line before becoming USU’s offensive line/special teams coach for the 1982 campaign. In six seasons as the defensive line coach for Utah State, three of his players (Rulon Jones, Mike Perko, Shawn Miller) won conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. Marinelli began his coaching career at his alma mater, Rosemead High School in San Gabriel Valley, California, from 1973-75.

Marinelli played offensive and defensive tackle at Utah in 1968 before serving a one-year stint in Vietnam. He returned from the service and attended California Lutheran from 1970-72, earning NAIA All-America honors as an offensive tackle in ‘72. Marinelli earned his bachelor’s degree in history from CLC.

Born July 13, 1949 in Rosemead, California, Rod and his wife, Barbara, reside in Tampa. The family includes daughters Christine (2/11/70) and Gina (8/8/81). Christine is married to Joe Barry, an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers. Marinelli also has a granddaughter, Camryn.