Fitzgerald Cecilio

The Buffalo Bills have hired Doug Marrone as their new head coach, hoping he could duplicate his accomplishments during a four-year stint at Syracuse.

According to team sources, the Bills and Marrone have agreed in principle on a four-year deal. The team is expected to introduce him in a news conference.

The Bills picked Marrone over more experienced candidates, including former Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt and ex-Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith, who both carried their teams to the Super Bowl.

In his first head coaching job, Marrone led the Orange to a 25-25 record during his four-year run with the team that went 10-37 and had gone seven straight seasons without a winning record before he took over.

In 2009, Marrone went 4-8 before posting records of 8-5, 4-7 and 8-5. Syracuse won the Pinstripe Bowl over Kansas State in 2010 and over West Virginia last week.

Marrone will face a new challenge with a Bills team that has not had a winning record since 2004 and has missed the playoffs for a seemingly endless 13 straight seasons.

He has seven years of NFL experience under his belt. Marrone spent 2006-08 as the Saints' offensive coordinator under coach Sean Payton and worked as the Jets' offensive line coach from 2002-05 for coach Herm Edwards.

Marrone's hiring was welcomed by fellow coaches and football analysts, saying the Bills made a good decision in hiring him.

"That's a great hire by the Bills because he brings together that pedigree that is popular now: a substantial pro background with that mix of college," former head coach and NFL Network analyst Brian Billick said.

"I think he's certainly someone the players will respond to, and I think he's ready," Payton told the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

"He's a detail guy," Edwards said. "He's very organized. He understands the importance of fundamentals and technique. He will stress that. He will make sure the assistant coaches teach that."

 

Buffalo Bills Select Syracuse's Doug Marrone as New Head Coach - NFL 2013