Dick LeBeau out as defensive coordinator. Says he and #Steelers have agreed to mutually part ways: “Time to go in a different direction.”
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) January 10, 2015
Some breaking news in Steeler Nation. Apparently Dick LeBeau is out as defensive coordinator, in what is being called a mutual decision. According to the Urbana Daily Citizen, LeBeau is resigning, rather than being fired or even retiring. It’s hard to say what conversations took place between him, Mike Tomlin, and the Rooney family, but the end result is that the Steelers will have a new defensive coordinator this fall.
The obvious leading candidate to replace LeBeau is linebackers coach Keith Butler, who we assume has been promised the job for years now. There will likely be a bit more of a search before simply handing him the job now, as the defense has underachieved under this staff as a whole in the past few years. There will be time to examine those candidates later.
I don’t know what the future holds for Dick LeBeau, but for now, “Coach Dad” will be leaving his prized defense in someone else’s hands. LeBeau, when given the tools, has developed some of the most dominant and entertaining defenses since the turn of the century. Regardless of what you’ve felt about the past few years, LeBeau will go down as a defensive genius, rightfully enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
