JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Doug Marrone apparently can get enough bologna.
The magic number is 17½ pounds.
That’s the portion of the 350 pounds of the deli meat that the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council sent to the Jacksonville Jaguars that Marrone kept. The rest -- 95 3½-pound logs -- was donated to an organization that helps supply local food banks.
“I think the right thing to do is help the local food shelters in the area,” Marrone said. “I don’t know if when they looked at it they said, ‘Well, let’s send them down the bologna to match his weight.’ I’d [take] offense to that, about 350, but again I think it’s a great gesture.
“I think it’s something we can help with our community and move on from there.”
Eric Mittenthal, the president of the National Hot Dot and Sausage Council, said he decided to ship 350 pounds of Boar’s Head bologna to the Jaguars after he saw an ESPN story detailing Marrone’s love of bologna. The shipment arrived Wednesday and was taken to Feeding Northeast Florida, where it will be distributed to food banks and non-profit organizations.
Frank Castillo, the interim CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida, said the bologna is one of the more unique donations the organization has received.
“You’ve always heard about the coach’s love for bologna, and to be able to get the love that coach has for bologna to actually make an impact, a positive impact in the lives of people in our community, we just thought it was the coolest thing,” Castillo said. “We’re really excited to be able to have the love that the coach has for bologna to make a positive impact in the community. That’s the win-win for everyone.”
Castillo said the 350 pounds of bologna (less Marrone’s 17½ pounds) is enough to feed roughly 300 people.
