Mike Tomlin expected to be new Steelers head coach

I don't think the P-G ever had it as being Grimm this weekend. That was the Trib, which definitely looks the worst in all of this.

That said, I still don't see how this hire makes sense. You bring in a defensive guy as your head coach, though his system doesn't come close to fitting your personnel or the defensive style that has been so successful for the Steelers in recent years.

So, you either tear the team down and start over with a completely different approach just one year removed from a Super Bowl championship or you keep LeBeau and use a 3-4/zone blitz scheme that is just about as different as you can get from the system your new head coach has favored his entire coaching career.

How does that make sense?

 

Because a Rooney says so and that's good enough for me.

(But when I take off my fanboy looser cap, I wonder about this hire as well. Perhaps the Steelers will play some hybrid 3-4 Tampa 2 combo.)

 

Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and the organization will have to make some tough cuts this offseason to free up the cap space needed to re-energize the franchise.

Likely cap hits for 2007
Joey Porter: $6.3 million
Jeff Hartings: $4.4 million
Cedrik Wilson: $2.4 million
Travis Kirschke: $2.1 million
Deshea Townsend: $1.9 million
Ryan Clark: $1.9 million
Chris Gardocki: $1.3 million

 

it makes sense 'cause the when the rooneys make a hire, it's a long-term hire. their team is built now for lebeau's 3-4. tomlin's the head coach, not the d-coordinator. lebeau will help him look good. 8) 8) 8)

 

It makes sense because the Rooneys know coaching talent when they see it.
Everybody, and I mean everybody, though the Steelers would hire Dave Wannstedt in 1992. He had the resume and the Pittsburgh background and the defensive orientation. The Steelers hired Cowher.
How'd that work out?

 

Twoback - Exactly.

A head coach needs to run an organization.

It didn't make any sense for the Eagles to hire Andy Reid when they did.

And Brian Billick went from an offensive team with no defense to a defensive team with no offense and won a Super Bowl.

 

Rooneys have as much house money to play with re: coaches as any ownership ever.

 

Hartings is probably going to retire. Townsend may be cut loose. Possibly Wilson, too. Porter is the only true must-have on that list.

I understand the Tomlin hire is looking more long term than short term. I just hate to see them blow things up and start over at this point, which may be the direction he takes.

And yes, the Rooneys did a great job last time they had to hire a coach. You can't really bring Noll into that discussion because that was a different generation of the family making that call.

The 30th-ranked pass defense still kinda bugs me, though.

 

I too believe Hartings is gone, even if he doesn't want to go. Gardocki will be gone and maybe Townsend and Wilson. I think they may sever ties with Porter too. I love the guy, but the money he wants, a decline in production and the controversies may seal his fate. Don't foget they have James Harrison who I believe could step in and do nicely.

 

Letting Porter go would be a huge mistake, especially if Tomlin changes the defensive system. Porter is very versatile and should do very well in adjusting if is role changes.

He's still the second-best player on that defense and his absence was a big reason for the loss to Atlanta.

Harrison is a nice player and would even be a serviceable starter opposite Porter, but he's not the type of playmaker they that Porter is. Not even close.

 

all's i know is that this spells disaster for the vikings. childress has the personality of a tree. tomlin at least knew how to connect with players as human beings. the good news is that there's no way childress survives 2007.