Today, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced that offensive coordinator Bruce Arians will retire and will not be with the team in 2012. After 37 years of coaching, Arians will hang up the whistle. In a statement released by the team, head coach Mike Tomlin said:
“Bruce Arians has informed me that he will retire from coaching. I appreciate his efforts over the past five years as the team’s offensive coordinator and for helping lead our offense to new heights during his time with the Steelers. I am grateful to Bruce for contributing to our success and wish him nothing but the best in his retirement.”
I spoke with one Steelers fan about Arians’ retirement, and it was met with a very different attitude.
“Thank you baby Jesus,” the fan said. He then followed by saying, “A good amount of the Steelers’ bg plays over the past few years have come from busted plays rather than good play design. I’m glad he’s gone.”
To say the least, those are harsh words for a coordinator that has led the Steelers from being that run first throw second team into being a true aerial threat. Still, it’s hard to argue with the overall analysis of where the Steelers’ big plays originate. It’s been no secret that keeping Ben Roethlisberger in the pocket is the best way to prevent him from connecting on game breaking plays. It’s also no secret that under Arians, the Steelers have been significantly less terrifying on the offensive side of the ball from a physical standpoint.
There are a number of offensively minded coaches currently looking for jobs, but the name I’ve heard thrown around on Twitter has been Todd Haley. Interview processes for coordinators tends to be far less in depth when compared to the search for a new head coach, but I believe the Steelers will go through as thorough a process as any team in choosing their next offensive coordinator.
