Steelers to hire Redskins Danny Smith as special teams coach
 

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on January 30, 2013, 5:35 PM EST

AP
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been searching for a new special teams after Amos Jones elected to join Bruce Arians’ staff with the Arizona Cardinals.

A day after receiving permission to interview Washington Redskins special teams coach Danny Smith, it appears the Steelers have found their man. According to Dan Hellie of NBC4 in Washington D.C., Smith will leave the Redskins to return home to Pittsburgh.

Smith has served as the Redskins special teams coach since 2004.



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Re: Steelers to hire Redskins Danny Smith as special teams coach
 

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The Steelers are reportedly prepared to announce a new addition to their coaching staff, after their former special teams coordinator became a Cardinal and flew the coop.

As was reported previously on Behind The Steel Curtain, the Pittsburgh Steelers had requested permission for the second time to interview Washington Redskins special teams coach, Danny Smith. This time they were granted permission and the interview took place, and apparently it was a successful one.

Dan Hellie, of Washington D.C. NBC affiliate WRC, is reporting sources claiming Smith is preparing to become the new ST coach in Pitsburgh. Hellie's job requires him to maintain an intimacy with the team he is paid to follow. While his report has yet to be confirmed, there would be little reason to fabricate a definite departure of a positional coach.

Smith has led the Redskins special teams units since 2004. He spent prior years with the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles.

In Pittsburgh, Smith will have plenty to do if the job is actually made his. While the Steelers were able to create room for returners to create positive field position, poor discipline and foolish penalties repeatedly negated any progress. The team also seeks to improve its kick coverage units, which allowed a few untimely returns in crucial moments.

Sophomore punter Drew Butler will require some fine tuning as he played like an undrafted rookie at times during 2012, failing to trap opponents in their own territory or affect the battle for field position. Mostly reliable Shaun Suisham could become a cap casualty in 2013, forcing the team to develop an unestablished youngster.

To top it off, the team's resident longsnapper Greg Warren is an unrestricted free agent whose accrued seasons may demand a higher salary than the team is willing to commit. Warren has been solid throughout his time in Pittsburgh, although his worst snap of the season played a part in the Steelers demise during the final stretch of the 2012 regular season.

While Smith's presence does not automatically mean increased production or guaranteed fixes, perhaps a fresh perspective may be enough for the Steelers special teams units to break out of some counter-productive bad habits.

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Re: Steelers to hire Redskins Danny Smith as special teams coach
 

Allright all you stat mavens out there...go get em. Good hire?

Re: Steelers to hire Redskins Danny Smith as special teams coach
 

I watch 'Skins games. His choice of kick returner was bad for a while, but other then that he's ok. 8/10

Re: Steelers to hire Redskins Danny Smith as special teams coach
 

is this guy better than Amos? that's all i'd like to know

Re: Steelers to hire Redskins Danny Smith as special teams coach
 

First, Danny is a Pittsburgh guy, thats his hometown, went to school at Edinboro State. In 2011to the Redskins ST Unit ranked #1 in Kick Return yards allowed. 20.8 avg.

However I believe it was in the 2011 season that the redskins had a record 5 blocked FG attempts. Also in the first two games of the season the redskins had two blocked punts.

Overall, Im not thrilled about this hire, Smith is a Pittsburgh native which is likely why he was hired.

Re: Steelers to hire Redskins Danny Smith as special teams coach
 

He needs to do a terrible job to match Amos' last year result.

Re: Steelers to hire Redskins Danny Smith as special teams coach
 

Is what it is. Saw a few Skins games. Their ST didn't seem particularly bad or good to me.

Re: Steelers to hire Redskins Danny Smith as special teams coach
 

What? Noooooo, not Sweet Cheeks! :mad:


Congratulations to ST Coach, Danny Smith. Our special teams can't get any worse, can they?

Re: Steelers to hire Redskins Danny Smith as special teams coach
 

Good hire in my opinion, last year was an off year for the skins special teams