Doug Marrone quit his job as the Buffalo Bills’ head coach on December 31, 2014. He had a three-day clause in his contract, following the 2014 season, where he could resign and collect his 2015 salary ($4 million). He took advantage of it.
People thought Marrone was crazy for leaving an existing NFL head coaching job, without another one guaranteed.
“I didn’t have [another head coaching job],” Marrone said yesterday. “I knew that it was all open.”
He’s now the offensive line coach, and assistant head coach, of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Why would he leave one of 32 NFL head coaching jobs on the planet to go back to being an assistant coach?
“My family and I made a decision to leave … and we’re not looking back,” Marrone said.
His wife is from the South. She has a lot of family down there. They already bought a house in North Florida.
“At the end of the day, I had two outstanding years in Buffalo,” said Marrone. “I really can’t say enough for the people within the organization, from the trainers, from the PR department, from the equipment people. They were outstanding.”
Did you notice he left out the personnel department? Marrone didn’t get along with some in the Bills’ personnel department, including GM Doug Whaley. He clearly wasn’t on the same page with Whaley.
Marrone reportedly wasn’t on board with the blockbuster trade Whaley made to acquire Clemson WR Sammy Watkins. The Bills gave up their 2015 first round pick in the deal.
There was a shouting match on the practice field between Marrone and some Bills executives last summer. Marrone wasn’t happy working for the Bills, in large part due to his issues with the personnel department.
He chose happiness (and a nice severance package) over staying put in a situation he didn’t enjoy.
What is wrong with that?
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