Recent memories that Steelers fans have of Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone are mainly negative. He was the guy on the sideline as they plowed through Heinz Field with upset wins twice in 2017. Once in the regular season 30-9, then again in the playoffs 45-42.

Meanwhile, Marrone’s earliest memories of the Steelers are much more fond. He was an offensive lineman in Chuck Noll’s training camp during the early 1990s, right around a stint with the World League’s London Monarchs.

At his Monday press conference, Marrone waxed poetic and painted some misty, water-colored recollections of his time in Pittsburgh and his observations of the Steelers organization.

On Noll’s practices: “Practicing up there and wearing those black — used to call them — like those (burlap) sacks. It wasn’t even like jersey material, with no numbers on it. I remember going up there and we used to have to run our 40s in our pads.

They wanted to get a true time of someone running. I remember, in the locker room, everyone’s trying to change into quarterback pads and trying to get as light as possible.

When I first got there, I said to myself, ‘I have a chance of making this team because they don’t have any numbers on their jerseys so maybe they’ll confuse me with one of these better players and I have a shot.’ After a while, I think the coaches know your stance and how you play, and they were able to see through that.”

On the Steelers-Raiders obsession: “They were, like, ‘Well, we have no numbers on (the jerseys) because Mr. (Al) Davis at the Raiders might be spying on them.’

I was like, ‘Oh gosh!’ So it was my first time of really [hearing] a lot of conspiracy theories going on.

Prior to that, I was at the Raiders and we were out there in training camp. There was a tree and Mr. Davis was worried about someone being able to climb on top of this tree and kind of watch us practice, and then the next day we come out and the tree was cut down. So, I think that was going on a lot back in the day. It’s always interesting. But I don’t know.”

On how the Steelers so rarely manage to dip below .500 in a season: “I have a great deal of respect. From a playing standpoint, from people that I know that coached there, from players that have played there, I just think it’s one of the things. They’ve done a hell of a job, and they’ve been a good football team. You can talk about decades. There’ll be times where they might be a little bit down, but not many.”

On his memories of regard for the Rooney family and the structure of the team: “They have a great culture … I think they’ve always continued to draft well the players that play. They’ve done a nice job. Like I said, I have a ton of respect for the Rooney family, I really do.”

On his interactions as Buffalo Bills head coach with Dan Rooney when the teams scrimmaged at Saint Vincent College: “We went to practice against them for three days. We arrived with the team and I had this security (guy) come to me and say, ‘Mr. Rooney wants to meet with you.’

So, at first, I’m like ‘Oh (expletive), what did I do? Gosh, I’m going to the principal’s office on the first day.’

They bring me up there, and this is (Dan Rooney), who has passed. I get in there and he says, ‘Look, I really appreciate you guys coming. You’re our guest. I want to make sure you heard it directly from me. If you need anything, your team needs anything, you make sure you come to me and you’ll have it.’

I just thought that was such an act of class. It just shows you the organization, and I think that around the league there’s a great appreciation for that. I’ve always admired that the Rooney family has always been heavily involved. They’ve done those things.”

You can watch the entire press conference below. Marrone’s first comments about the Steelers start at the 14:20 mark. They resume at 18:44.

— #DUUUVAL (@Jaguars) November 16, 2020

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