Quote:  I understand the reasoning for giving Doug Marrone the opt-out clause.   But I don't think Marrone did enough in his coaching career prior to be hired by the Bills to warrant the clause.   IMO, Russ Brandon and co.  could have hired a viable HC w/o such a clause.  

 

  I feel strongly that tampering did take place regarding Marrone.   Very likely by the Jets and possibly by one or more other teams.   From what I read,  prior to Marrone's interview with the Jets,  Woody Johnson was very interested in hiring Marrone.   But Marrone apparently had a bad interview from Johnson's perspective,  which changed the direction of the Jets HC search again.  

 

 In addition to team leader Fred Jackson,   Aaron Williams'  comments about how Marrone left Buffalo were attention getting.  

By all accounts, Bill's President Russ Brandon (who's background is in marketing and not football) was the one who wanted Marrone. Part of the thinking of why he wanted him is Marrone had something resembling a fanbase around Syracuse, so hiring Marrone would help market the Bills in that region (Syracuse, despite being closer to Buffalo actually has more Giants fans than Bills fans). During that HC search, Brandon promised they would leave "No stone unturned" in their search for a HC. Marrone was the 3rd person they interviewed.

 

No matter how good or bad of an interview Marrone had with the Jets, they would have been foolish to hire him and open themselves up to the tampering charges. They dodged a bullet by passing on him.

 

I'm sure other players took note of Aaron Williams' comment. Safe to say that no NFL player will ever buy into his "All of us are in this together." No matter how Marrone or his agent try to spin it, he is not a man of his word and NFL teams know this. A came out how he wasn't ever really popular with the players.

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