Dick LeBeau and Steelers agree to part ways

[SteelCrazy]

LMAO! This is a huge mistake! Lets see how many top 5's we'll have onDefense in the next 5 years...my guess will be zero.

[Slapstick]

We'll see. It's not like the Steelers were a top 5 D at any rate.

[Oviedo]

We'll see. It's not like the Steelers were a top 5 D at any rate.

Something the fan club wants to pretend wasn't true. Past successes are not a predictor of future success

[Slapstick]

But consistent past success is such an indicator. The Steelers may live to regret today.

Or, maybe not.

[7 UP]

Sorry to see him go, but this is the right time. I would like to see someone with a fresh take come in and have a shot at this thing. I am 100% opposed to Keith Butler getting this job. If you were going to do that, you should have just kept Lebeau.

[Oviedo]

Sorry to see him go, but this is the right time. I would like to see someone with a fresh take come in and have a shot at this thing. I am 100% opposed to Keith Butler getting this job. If you were going to do that, you should have just kept Lebeau.

Unless Butler wants to make changes and couldn't under LeBeau. If more of the same I agree with you...why bother?

[Eddie Spaghetti]

mitchell needs to go too

lebeaus biggest failing was not getting younger players into the mix sooner, imo, and mitchell is a big part of that

[flippy]

Time for a complete overhaul imho. We need to turn this D around and do it quick. A system that allows young guys to come in and contribute right away might not be so bad because we have a closing window with Ben.

It's a shame we didn't try this sooner.

The only great player we have on this unit today is Cam Heyward imho. Timmons, Gay, and Worilds are solid pieces. Beyond that, I'm really not sure what we have.

I like McClendon and think he can continue to develop into a solid contributor.

Hopefully we can quickly figure out how to make guys like Tuitt, Shazier, and Jones productive quickly. It'd be great if we can get Cortez back on track and performing like he's capable. It'd be awesome to see something from Shark who's shown flashes of talent on ST. Spence and Williams have shown flashes of talent. And I think our DBs have improved a bit and could be a strong unit.

In reality, if we can get a pass rush going and either draft or get Tez playing like a lockdown corner, we might not be far from being good. But it's still question marks across the board at this point.

[fezziwig]

Big mistake.... Sorry Dick Lebeau that you couldn't make chicken soup out of chicken crap

[Djfan]

Sad, but it was going to happen some day. Thank you Coach LeBeau. You are a great for all time.

[fezziwig]

What they managed to pull off this season with the troubles they had, no coach should have had to go. Well, maybe the ones that thought Cortez Allen, Mike Mitchell were go to guys. And maybe our last two number one picks were reasons to be fired up at Lebeau, Tomlin or Colbert. That's just it though. We really don't know who decides what. Maybe it was Lebeau pounding his fist that these guys were the guys he wanted ? Maybe they all agreed. In any event, Lebeau should have remained.

[Steelhere10]

Tomlin exact words in his end of the season press conference ....
We kind of warmed up to applying pressure on the Qb. MADE it sound like stubbornness from the DC. LIKE I said before people thought Ray Horton was trash and he turned out pretty good, maybe if it's Butler he will turn out good.

[papillon]

I hope Keith Butler gets the job that will be beautiful.

Pappy

[SS Laser]

Butler may run a 3-4 zone blitz scheme but it will be different IMO. DL called the plays. Butler can and will call different plays then DL would. Butler will also use some of the same plays to piss off some here. Just like with BA it was time for a change and the coach did not have that same plan as the FO/HC. It sucks that DL was not ready to retire at freaking 77. But it IS time for a change in who calls the D plays. I know this was maybe the lowest level of talent that DL had but was it not the worst D he coached as a Steeler? I would like to see him in a different position with the Steelers. But not sure that would workout either. Give the new DC his position or don't. Sad day for sure and shocking. I also think this will help Ike, Troy, Da Beard, and maybe JH decide to walk into the sunset. Which is also sad but maybe time. Sink or swim for the 2015 Steelers D. Hey OVI one step closer to your dream day!

[Starlifter]

I don't know what to think about this. DL is a great coach and we've had wonderful success with him. It's also true we began a slide just prior to our last superbowl victory that continues to the present. As an amateur, I'm not going to state 'why' - but I think it's a fair assessment that we currently don't have an impact player on defense - or more specifically a player on this team making such an impact that the opposing team has to game plan around them. I don't think we really confuse anyone with our packages - at least not within the division, and to my amateur eye, we appear very slow.

The mark of a great defense is a unit that is relentless, intimidating, fast and confusing with it's scheme. None of those apply to our recent versions of the steel curtain.

now, is the problem DL? is it the players? bit of both?

I have no friggin idea. so I have no idea if I should be happy with this news or not. if butler is the replacement and our philosophy stays the same, well I guess we'll see then if it's the players as opposed to the scheme.

either way, while this may have been inevitable - I'm not inspired with confidence for next year.

It will also be interesting to see if this was finally the power play by tomlin to get control of the defense and run the scheme HE wants. I guess that will be answered by if butler gets the job or not.