Shocking regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers’ front office that long-time defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will part ways amicably with the team after 11 years at the position has been verified. Pro Football Hall of Famer LeBeau exclusively told the Urbana Daily Citizen on Saturday that his resignation as the coordinator was not a retirement.
“I’m resigning this position, not retiring,” said the 77 year-old LeBeau. “I had a great run in Pittsburgh. I’m grateful for all the things that have happened to me and thankful for all the support I had in Pittsburgh…It was a lot of fun.”
LeBeau took over as the Steelers’ defensive coaching leader the first time during the 1995-1996 seasons after being an assistant or head coach in the NFL since 1973. He spent two Super Bowl seasons in the 1980s on the Cincinnati Bengals’ coaching staff, then moved to become head coach from 2000-2002 before returning as Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator in 2004. LeBeau is considered one of the greatest scheme-creators when it comes to modern football and helped give the Steelers the architecture to create a zone blitz powerhouse. During his time in Pittsburgh, the Steelers won Super Bowl XL and XLIII, and have won three AFC championships.
After a difficult season in Pittsburgh, LeBeau said it was “just time to take a break.” The Steelers had a defense that was filled with injuries and slowly progressing young players. LeBeau took a lot of responsibility for the struggles in the defensive backfield, always insisting that his players could do better.
Fan reaction is sure to be mixed. Some were calling for the team to remove him early in the 2014 season while others were hoping that Keith Butler would be the heir apparent should LeBeau leave. Others will likely find LeBeau’s departure tragic.
Butler has been the linebackers coach and is considered by many to be the most likely to step into LeBeau’s position, but the franchise has yet to reveal the news publicly regarding LeBeau’s departure.
LeBeau will be highly coveted by teams that have struggled to find an edge on their defense, but by his own admission, it doesn’t sound like their is immediate interest to jump back into football. Pittsburgh will certainly miss his leadership.
(article originally posted on Examiner.com by author)
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SB Steeler
January 10, 2015 at 9:23 pm
This is as shocking as when Cowher resigned. I hope he’s offered a consultant’s job with the Steelers.
DrGeorge
January 10, 2015 at 9:33 pm
No coach or player is irreplaceable, including LeBeau. A new coach will be found, and life will go on. However, LeBeau will go down as one of the best defensive coaches in NFL history, and the Steelers will discover just how little talent LeBeau had to work with in recent years. Asking LeBeau to resign isn’t going to solve that. He didn’t let down the Steelers; the Steelers personnel decisions let down LeBeau.
As for LeBeau’s future, I hope he lands another position, if he wants one, in college or the pros. The game has not passed him by. Wherever he goes, I for one wish him well.
DaveB.
January 11, 2015 at 7:31 am
This decision came from the front office , more than likely Art Rooney II . It sounds alot like the decision to part company with Bruce Arians , and we all know how thats turned out . Bottom line , Dick LeBeau did not suddenly forget how to coach overnight . The talent he had to work with in the secondary and at linebacker was barely average at best and thats being kind . At 77 , if he chose to leave or simply get away from the game no one could blame him , but if Tomlin was called into Art’s office and told its time for LeBeau to go , thats wrong and it should never have happened . They can promote Keith Butler or they can back Bud Carson from the Steel Curtain days and it still wont matter . You have to have the talent on staff to work with and Dick LeBeau didnt . Its as simple as that .