Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Profile

It’s very difficult not to love Mike Tomlin. He’s young, but not as inexperienced as most people make him out to be. Tomlin, a former wide receiver at William and Mary, coached under Tony Dungy in Tampa. From 2001 to 2005, Tomlin put his stamp on an effective DB unit. He received his first coordinator position last season in Minnesota, and forced dramatic improvements on the defensive side of the ball (especially in the run stopping department).  

Tomlin beat out two incumbent assistant coaches to take the top coaching job with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm were well liked by their players, and both men were highly sought after commodities in the NFL head coaching market. Tomlin won the job on the strength of his impressive football convictions. He brings a quiet, but confident intensity to the game. Tomlin tells players to “play like your hair is on fire.” Hitters and runners are what Tomlin values, and that’s the mindset he’s bringing to any already stacked team. 
 
Coach Chin was a staple in Pittsburgh for 15 years. He was a master at motivating his players and he left a lasting impact on the current roster. But it’s Tomlin’s turn now, and if the players buy in to what this guy’s selling, the Pittsburgh Steelers are gonna be sick. 

Pittsburgh Steelers Off-Season Moves

One year (to the day) after winning the Super Bowl, Coach Chin finally called it quits. He was the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL. His reign as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers lasted for an amazing 15 straight seasons. Number 15 was a waste though. Cowher should have called it quits after the Super Bowl. Instead, he stayed in limbo all season, and the Steelers never quite found a balance.
 
For years, Jeff Hartings was a critical component of Pittsburgh’s successful offensive line. The two-time Pro Bowler retired from the game immediately after the 2006 season. It remains to be seen who will take Hartings’ place at center. Chukky Okobi will have every chance to win the job, but the Steelers picked up free agent, multipurpose lineman Sean Mahan to increase their depth options on the offensive line. Mahan can play center or guard.

Joey Porter’s release from the Pittsburgh Steelers was bittersweet. The vocal team leader was not happy with his income, and he got a fat, $32 million contract from the Dolphins (with $20 million guaranteed!). There was no way Porter was getting that kind of coin from the Rooneys.

After both coaches were passed over for Cowher’s old job, offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm split to Arizona. They took special teams utility man Sean Morey with them.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ backfield got a boost when Verron Haynes resigned with the team. Initially cut from the roster in March, Haynes is back from a serious knee injury and is ready to contribute once again. He’ll have some competition though. Najeh Davenport got picked up for another two years.

Signing unsung-stud Aaron Smith to a long-term deal was a savvy move. Locking up this productive defensive end was one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ highest offseason priorities, and the team made sure to get the job done.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2007-08 Season Outlook

The Pittsburgh Steelers were a mess last year. The 2005 NFL champs fell from the top of the NFL mountain to a sorry 8-8 record. Although Pittsburgh finished strong, the team still missed the playoffs. There were distractions galore (you know the list: motorcycle crash, appendectomy, new face for Ben and a different Coach Chin). Untimely turnovers and lingering injury issues kept the team off balance for the majority of the season. Times were tough. I mean, the friggin’ Raiders only won two games last season, but one of those victories came at the expense of the defending champs.

But it’s a new season, and in steps the new head coach. This guy Tomlin says all the right things. He’s a true believer in effort over scheme, fundamentals over flash. He values intensity and exertion over X’s and O’s.

His coaching philosophy revolves around “living in and feeling the urgency of now.” Tomlin stresses “playing hard, playing fast,” over everything else. What the Pittsburgh Steelers need more than anything is to get back to the basics. Tomlin is the basics. He expresses, with single-minded conviction, a desire to have his players run and hit as hard as they can. He’s a forcefully positive coach with tons of confidence, and he’s the perfect fit for Pittsburgh.

Dick LeBeau’s Blitzburgh defense won’t miss a beat without Joey Porter, especially with the influx of nasty new linebacker blood. Bruce Arians plans to open up the passing game and give Big Ben more opportunities to go no-huddle, improvise and call his own plays. Willie Parker is still a beast. Hines Ward will be healthy, and Santonio Holmes will likely have increased duties in his sophomore season. Look for the Pittsburgh Steelers to get creative with three tight-end sets (especially in the redzone) that feature tough, soft-handed TEs that can block and catch on any given play. If the Steelers can improve their tackling on kick and punt returns, and avoid coughing up the ball in critical situations, this team is certainly capable of returning to dominant form.

Pittsburgh Steelers Trivia

-The Steelers have not had a cheerleading squad since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. But the Steelers did have cheerleaders from 1961 to 1970. They were known as the Steelerettes.

-Myron Cope, the raspy-voiced broadcaster who called Steelers games for 35 years, is the man responsible for coming up with the terrible towel. Cope developed the concept to fire up fans for a playoff game in 1975.

-At different stages of the franchise, the Pittsburgh Steelers were known as the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steagles.  

-Heinz Field was completed in 2001 at a cost of $230 million.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2007-08 Roster

Pittsburgh Steelers 2007-08 Depth Chart

Pittsburgh Steelers – Heinz Field

Construction Began: June 1999
Opened: August 2001
Capacity: 64,450
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Surface: Natural Grass

After 30 years of playing in Pittsburgh's shared home of professional sports, Three Rivers Stadium, for more than 30 years, the Steelers finally got their own home in 2001, christening their new home with NFL action on October 7, 2001. Heinz Field is still shared and enjoyed by many high school and college contests throughout the football season, but is primarily known as being home to the city's beloved Steelers. The vertical thrust of the facility makes it one of the premier stadiums in the United States when giving consideration to amenities and seating options – in simple terms, there's not a bad seat in the house.