Tampa Bay’s special teams in 2000 had an outstanding year, highlighted by a Pro-Bowl selection for second-year K Martin Gramatica. Last season, Marciano’s unit established a single-season record by blocking seven kicks (4 FGs, 3 punts), while his charges were responsible for two of the club’s seven return touchdowns. Marciano’s unit was also fueled by the outstanding individual performance by Gramatica, who tied or set six club records. Gramatica established single-season marks in points scored (126), field goals (28), field goals from more than 50 yards (5), consecutive field goals (16) and extra points (42).

In 1999, Marciano’s units received some outstanding individual performances. LB Shelton Quarles set a team record with 31 special teams tackles, breaking Sam Anno’s 10-year mark of 28 stops. P Mark Royals finished third in the NFC with a franchise-best gross average of 43.13 yards. Royals’ net average of 37.4 ranked second in the conference. And rookie kicking sensation Gramatica shattered two single-season club marks. His 106 points broke Donald Igwebuike’s 10-year record of 99 points. Gramatica also nailed 27 FGs, two better than Michael Husted’s effort of 25 FGs in 1996. Gramatica hit 84.4 percent of his FG attempts.

The Bucs also ranked fourth in the league in kickoff coverage with an average opponent drive start of 25.5. Tampa Bay opponents averaged just 17.6 yards per kickoff return, which set a club record (17.8, 1993) for lowest opponent kickoff return average. Chicago was the lone NFL team with a lower opponent average. In 1998, Marciano’s charges set single-season club marks in both kickoff return average (23.7) and punt return average (13.7). That season, rookie WR Jacquez Green finished second in the league with a 15.1-yard average on punt returns, including a club-record 95-yard return for a TD at Green Bay in his initial NFL game.

Marciano and the Buccaneers’ special teams also excelled in 1997. In Marciano’s second year with Tampa Bay, Karl Williams recorded just the third punt return for a touchdown in franchise history and rookie LB Alshermond Singleton blocked two punts. Williams finished as the NFC’s second-leading punt returner and the Bucs finished first in the NFL in opponent net punting and opponent field goal percentage.

Marciano has turned the Bucs’ special teams units into big-play producers. In five seasons under his tutelage, Buccaneer special teamers have recorded eight NFC Player of the Week awards, 18 blocked or deflected kicks and eight of the 10 longest punt and kickoff returns in team annals.

Marciano joined Tampa Bay after spending the previous 10 years as the special teams coach for the New Orleans Saints. For the first nine of those campaigns, he also coached the team’s tight ends. In 1995, the Saints ranked third in the league in lowest punt return average allowed (6.5) and sixth in lowest kickoff return average permitted (19.8). During Marciano’s New Orleans tenure, he coached three special teams players who were selected for the Pro Bowl (Morten Andersen, Tyrone Hughes, Bennie Thompson).

Marciano’s first professional football job came as the special teams/tight ends coach for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the USFL. Marciano joined the Stars after spending 1982 as the tight ends/special teams coach at Temple.

In 1981, Marciano tutored the tight ends for Joe Paterno at Penn State. There, he coached future NFL offensive lineman Ron Heller who played TE for the Nittany Lions. Marciano also coached tight ends at Villanova (1980) and Rhode Island (1978-79). He began his college coaching career overseeing the tight ends at East Stroudsburg University in 1977. Marciano coached at Wyoming Area High School in West Pittston, Pennsylvania in 1976.

Marciano was a quarterback at Temple where he earned his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. A native of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, he is an avid fisherman who has conducted various fishing tournaments and has appeared on numerous ESPN fishing shows. In 1993, Marciano was inducted into the Northeast Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He is single and resides in Odessa with his son, Joseph.