The Pittsburgh Steelers have decided to part ways with defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, which was first reported in the Urbana Daily Citizen.“I’m resigning this position, not retiring,” LeBeau said. “I had a great run in Pittsburgh. I’m grateful for all the things that have happened to me and thankful for all the support I had in Pittsburgh.”
A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player, LeBeau is regarded as one of the finest defensive minds in league history. He has served as the Steelers' defensive coordinator since 2004, through two head coaches — Bill Cowher and current head coach Mike Tomlin.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said.
LeBeau, 77, has coached in the NFL since 1973. He won two Super Bowls with the Steelers as an assistant and was head coach for the Cincinnati Bengals for three seasons from 2000 to 2002. He's considered the architect of the zone blitz, which is a staple in NFL defenses.
Even though the Steelers have not had great defenses in recent years, this is nonetheless a stunning move. LeBeau is almost universally beloved and respected by his players, earning the nickname of "Coach Dad."
The Steelers went 11-5 this season and won the AFC North, but questions about LeBeau’s future with the team started to crop up. He decided to take matters into his own hands
“It’s just time to make a break,” he said.
It will be interesting to see what direction the Steelers go to replace LeBeau. Tomlin was immersed in the NFL in his years as an assistant coaching a Tampa-2 style of defense and could opt to shift more in that direction.
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