Official Steeler statement about Foote

[Steelhere10]

Official Steelers Statement on Larry Foote Reports



“Contrary to published reports, Larry Foote is still a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Any stories indicating that Larry has been released by the team are inaccurate.”

-- Steelers Communications Coordinator Dave Lockett

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

In other words...we are still trying to trade him. If we don't get any offers by next week, then he will be released.

[SidSmythe]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

SHEWWWWWW

I've been a Larry Foote supporter . . i'm not ready to just hand the job over to TIMMONS quite yet.
If Timmons beats him out, great, but i still would love to have Foote on the depth chart.

[Sugar]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

It's funny to me that this official message from the Steelers has been out for hours now but people continue to post as if they hadn't said a word.

[Mel Blount's G]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

SMOKESCREEN!

[calmkiller]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

So what happened is the Steelers informed Foote they are working on a trade, if nothing happens they will release him next week. He ask for his release and they told him, next week. To which point he/his agent let out that they are going to release him. Which make anyone that would trade for him stupid, when he would be available for free in a week.

Bad move by Larry in my opinion.

[Oviedo]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

What I read this morning indicates that Foote asked to leave. He sees the handwriting on wall and he is doing all the off season workouts with the team. he sees and probably realizes that Timmons is getting better very quickly and he won't be the starter.

Remember that Foote has stated in the past he wants to play for his hometown Lions.

I think the Steelers are going still trying to trade him and get something back.

[frankthetank1]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

So what happened is the Steelers informed Foote they are working on a trade, if nothing happens they will release him next week. He ask for his release and they told him, next week. To which point he/his agent let out that they are going to release him. Which make anyone that would trade for him stupid, when he would be available for free in a week.

Bad move by Larry in my opinion.

yup i agree no team would trade for him now

[papillon]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

If that's the game he and his agent played, then don't release his @azz, bring him into camp and make him the last camp cut after teams have basically set their rosters.

Pappy

[steelsnis]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

This seems to be a clear case of Foote wanting more $$$ down the line. His contract is up after this season and he knows his PT is going to be even less this year than last year with Timmons coming on.

He doesn't want to go looking for a new team and new contract next season after a season as a part-time player, even if it's on the defending Super Bowl Champs.

So he'd rather play for an 0-16 team as a starter so he can "showcase" himself for one more big contract.

That about sum it up?

[True Fan]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

If that's the game he and his agent played, then don't release his @azz, bring him into camp and make him the last camp cut after teams have basically set their rosters.

Pappy

exactly

[stlrz d]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

He's always been a solid player and a character guy. I'm disappointed that he's handling it this way. I always liked Foote.

Cripes, watch him end up in Green Bay to help with the Pack's transition to a 3-4.

[SteelBucks]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

If that's the game he and his agent played, then don't release his @azz, bring him into camp and make him the last camp cut after teams have basically set their rosters.

Pappy

I remember Mike Merriweather and his agent played that game with the Steelers back in the late 80's (although in his case he was unhappy with his contract). Rooney and Noll refused to trade him and Merriweather sat out for the entire year. I always agreed with the FO on that move......never let a player hold the team hostage.

[SteelCzar76]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

Steelers: Foote asks to be released
With Timmons being groomed and ready to step in, linebacker wants more action
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
Larry Foote -- "I love the team, I love winning, but you can't keep being unhappy.

Larry Foote played a lot of football as a starting inside linebacker for the Steelers the past five seasons, and in a strange twist, his search for more playing time will cause them to release him.

Foote said he wants to continue his career as a starting linebacker where he can play more often and asked the Steelers to accommodate him. After the team found no offers in a trade over the weekend of the draft, sources on the club say they plan to release him sometime after this weekend's minicamp, which Foote will not attend.

The Steelers were going to release him yesterday, then decided to wait as they pursue last-ditch efforts to trade him.

"It was my doing," Foote told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I wanted to go. They were trying to trade me."

Foote has one year left on his contract, which was scheduled to pay him a salary of $2,885,000 in 2009. There was much speculation leading up to the Super Bowl that the Steelers might release him or ask him to take a reduction in pay because of that salary and because 2007 first-round draft choice Lawrence Timmons is behind him. Foote indicated during Super Bowl week that he would not take a pay cut.

Last season, he thought Timmons might take his job. Yesterday, Foote sounded as if he were sure of that.

"It's nothing personal," said Foote, who turns 29 on June 12. "James Farrior never slows down, and Timmons came in and I can't grow here any more. They turned me into a two-down linebacker last year. I was stuck in a role.

"I love the team, I love winning, but you can't keep being unhappy. It got to the point where they were not giving me a chance."

Foote did not attend the team's first two voluntary workouts last week. His agent, Ken Kremer, said last week that Foote had been working out in Detroit. Kremer also said there had been no contract discussions between him and the Steelers.

Foote said his agent was calling teams to try to place the linebacker elsewhere. There were reports during the week preceding the Super Bowl that Foote wanted to play for his hometown Detroit Lions if he were released, and he told both Detroit newspapers as much yesterday.

Shortly after last season, coach Mike Tomlin said he wanted to keep Foote around and had no plans to release him, but it would be hard for Tomlin not to start his 2007 first-round pick, especially considering how well Timmons played last season.

Foote's release or trade also would create the salary cap room of his $2,885,000 less the amount paid to his replacement.

Foote, a fourth-round draft pick from Michigan in 2002, has been a starter at inside linebacker since 2004 and has not missed a start during those five seasons.

During the final days of the Steelers spring workouts in June 2008, Foote wondered how long he would remain a starter after Timmons was placed behind him on the depth chart.

"I don't think it's competition," Foote said nearly a year ago. "I really think it's just a matter of time until they throw him in there, just because of the politics of the game -- and it looks like he can play."

Yet Foote did hold off Timmons all last season. Foote started all 16 regular-season games and three in the postseason. Timmons replaced him in their nickel defense on passing downs.

Foote finished fifth on the team with 86 tackles, his fewest since he became a starter. He led the team in tackles in 2005 with 123 and followed with 118 in 2006. Timmons had 71 tackles in 2008, his second season, without starting a game. His five sacks ranked fourth and he also intercepted a pass and returned it 89 yards against New England.

"My time might be winding down at that position," Foote said in June. "It's just a matter of when the coaches throw [Timmons] in there."

Apparently, Foote felt that time was now.

[ANPSTEEL]

Re: Official Steeler statement about Foote

So what happened is the Steelers informed Foote they are working on a trade, if nothing happens they will release him next week. He ask for his release and they told him, next week. To which point he/his agent let out that they are going to release him. Which make anyone that would trade for him stupid, when he would be available for free in a week.

Bad move by Larry in my opinion.

Obviously, Foote didn't want to end up with "whoever" the steelers found as a willing trade partner- so, his agent let it out.

By the same token- if the steelers truly were going to "release" him- they could have done it at the begging of free agent season- giving Foote more options.

Now, I would imagine the Steelers will keep him on the roster until June 1st - which, i believe, is the date that factors into a teams cap numbers.