Steelers hire Danny Smith Special Teams Coach

[thor75]

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/...#axzz2JXHNPsSk


Danny Smith, the Washington Redskins' special teams coach since 2004, will replace Amos Jones as the Steelers' special teams coordinator.

Jones quit last week to join the Arizona Cardinals' staff under new coach Bruce Arians, the Steelers' former offensive coordinator.

Smith, a Pittsburgh native, was the Bills' special teams coach from 2001-03 before jointing the Redskins. He also spent two seasons with the Lions and four with the Eagles, two as special teams coach.

Smith, 59, first started coaching at alma mater Pittsburgh Central Catholic when Dan Marino was the Vikings' quarterback.

Jones took over the Steelers special teams when Al Everest was fired in late August. Before then, Jones was Everest's assistant.

The Steelers wanted to talk with Smith before they hired Everest several years ago, but the Redskins denied them permission.

[fezziwig]

Seems like the guy can't keep a job.

[Ghost]

This is from an article in the Post Gazette Wednesday. I find it somewhat horrifying that he was not going to make a change. It doesn't speak well of his decision making after this season's specail teams sh*t fest. How could he possibly not have been looking to make a change?

Tomlin intended to retain Jones for the 2013 season, but Jones opted to become special teams coordinator in Arizona because of his friendship with new Cardinals coach Bruce Arians, a former Steelers offensive coordinator.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2JYdkBM7F

They were also looking at Thomas McGaughey, ST coach for LSU for the last 2 years and a ST assistant for the NY Giants for three years. Be nice to bring in a young, hungry guy trying to make it back to the NFL instead of an old, tired retread who wasn't good at Washington.

[pfelix73]

Exactly. These next 2 years are going to be a make or break for this entire coaching staff......Some of his decisions are questionable at times...yikes.

[Slapstick]

Seems like the guy can't keep a job.

Please tell me you're joking...I missed the smiley...

[RuthlessBurgher]

Please tell me you're joking...I missed the smiley...

Yeah, saying it seems like the guy can't keep a job is an awfully odd statement. All assistant coaches bounce around in the NFL, but this guy's been in Washington since 2004. That's an absolute eternity for any coach under Dan Snyder. He was there for 4 years under Joe Gibbs, and when Joe retired, he was retained by new head coach Jim Zorn. He coached another 2 years under Zorn, and when Zorn was fired, he was retained yet again by new head coach Mike Shanahan. He's coached another 3 years under Shanahan.

[squidkid]

Yeah, saying it seems like the guy can't keep a job is an awfully odd statement. All assistant coaches bounce around in the NFL, but this guy's been in Washington since 2004. That's an absolute eternity for any coach under Dan Snyder. He was there for 4 years under Joe Gibbs, and when Joe retired, he was retained by new head coach Jim Zorn. He coached another 2 years under Zorn, and when Zorn was fired, he was retained yet again by new head coach Mike Shanahan. He's coached another 3 years under Shanahan.

so is this good or bad?
the guy wasnt wanted by anyone else all those years and was never promoted within. you would think if he was 'all that', he wouldhave made a move somewhere in there. No?

[RuthlessBurgher]

so is this good or bad?
the guy wasnt wanted by anyone else all those years and was never promoted within. you would think if he was 'all that', he wouldhave made a move somewhere in there. No?

Wasn't wanted by anyone else all those years? We requested an interview with him a few years back when he ultimately hired Al Everest, but the Skins blocked us from interviewing him back then. They didn't block us from interviewing him now.

Never promoted from within? The special teams coach is a coordinator. Offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator. The only possible promotion from a coordinator position would be head coach.

He was kept from one coaching regime to another in Washington (twice) simply because he is a good special teams coordinator (just like Dick LeBeau was kept from the Cowher to Tomlin coaching regime because he is a good defensive coordinator).

[supersteeler]

The special teams were a thorn in the Steelers side for years, lets just hope that thorn didn't penetrate the skin this time.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Question....Did Tomlin say after firing Al Everest that he would personally have a hand in special teams this past season? I can't remember if I read an article in a paper that he said that, or just heard on a board or from someone else that he said it.