The Detroit Lions have hired Rod Marinelli as their new head coach, filling the vacancy that was left when Steve Mariucci was fired during the season. Marinelli has spent the past ten seasons as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive line coach. Marinelli is confident he can improve a struggling Lions team.

"The issue now is what we do at this point. The issue is us and how we're going to move forward," said Marinelli during a news conference.

Marinelli has worked very well with the Buccaneers' defensive line the past few years, and was part of their Super Bowl victory a few years ago. Marinelli was also named the team's assistant head coach back in 2002.

"Football is a show-me game. I'm tired of talking," said Marinelli. "You start putting on pads and do the work. Let our film talk for us."

The Lions team president Matt Millen has received plenty of heat due to the team's inability to win the past few seasons. Over the past three years, the Lions have taken a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL draft. So far, it has not helped the Lions significantly, although they have had health problems.

"We have a lot of work to get done here and I believe we have the people who want to get that work done," Millen said.

The Lions have not had a coach stay with their team for a significant amount of time lately. In 2001, Marty Mornhinweg was hired. After Mornhinweg was let go in 2003, the Lions hired Steve Mariucci. Mariucci didn't have that much success either, so Marinelli hopes that things go better for him.

Dick Jauron, who was named the interim coach after Mariucci was fired, will probably resign or be let go. Jauron is a candidate for other coaching positions in the league still.

Marinelli has a basic philosophy on how he wants his team to be run.

"I want to be physical, that's my style," Marinelli said. "I want to run the ball with power, defend with power."