Keith Butler Giving Steelers A Chance. Time to Tell LeBeau to Retire

[Fire Arians]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

if butler is learning from the best, shouldnt we just keep the best? Maybe carnell lake will be ready to take over as DC in a year or 2 and we bring woodson in to coach the secondary.

we can always give butler the title of ass HC and a bump in pay or just bring him back when the colts clean house in 3 years.

there's nobody who knows our defense inside and out like butler does right now, and DL is not a lock to work for the next 5 years even if he says he will be. age is a mother****er.

besides butler is a younger coach who can also add fresh new ideas for the defense. he is ready and I think he will even be better than lebeau is right now. coaches lose their edge with age, and althout lebeau is one of the all-time greats, I think he's not the top DC he used to be. He's still good, but some games really make me scratch my head, like that denver debacle

me personally, i think he should have retired years ago. Once a coach has retirement in the back of their mind and needs to 'think about coming back or retiring the next season', they need to hang it up. When you're at that point, you no longer have that competitive fire that made you great. that's not a knock on lebeau, that's just life. happened to the best of em, even Noll.

[Atlanta Dan]

Originally Posted by Fire Arians

me personally, i think he should have retired years ago. Once a coach has retirement in the back of their mind and needs to 'think about coming back or retiring the next season', they need to hang it up. When you're at that point, you no longer have that competitive fire that made you great. that's not a knock on lebeau, that's just life. happened to the best of em, even Noll.

Maybe like lots of folks in professions where you devote so much time to work LeBeau does not know WTF he would do without football?

That certainly was what was driving Joe Paterno to hang on - even before the Sandusky catastrophe Joe Pa, rest his soul, had hung around at least 10 years too long

[Bayz101]

Look at Farve, he retired six times lmao

[stb_steeler]

Originally Posted by Atlanta Dan

Maybe like lots of folks in professions where you devote so much time to work LeBeau does not know WTF he would do without football?

That certainly was what was driving Joe Paterno to hang on - even before the Sandusky catastrophe Joe Pa, rest his soul, had hung around at least 10 years too long

but there will never be another JoePa...

[LayingTheWoodley56]

Lebeau just produced another #1 defense, even if it was somewhat cheapened by our weak schedule and the egg in Denver. He shouldn't be pushed out the door after that, but it looks clear to me that Butler will take the reins within the next year or two. Maybe one year learning directly from Dick before he takes over. He wouldn't have turned down the Colts job if he thought he was going to have to wait for five years.

[madtowndrunkard]

Originally Posted by LayingTheWoodley56

Lebeau just produced another #1 defense, even if it was somewhat cheapened by our weak schedule and the egg in Denver. He shouldn't be pushed out the door after that, but it looks clear to me that Butler will take the reins within the next year or two. Maybe one year learning directly from Dick before he takes over. He wouldn't have turned down the Colts job if he thought he was going to have to wait for five years.

You absolutely cannot push DL out the door. He's done nothing to deserve that. He's still out coaching almost every other defense in the league.

I expect this is more of a financial thing. Butler wants to stay in Pittsburgh because it's his home. If he was cool with leaving pittsburgh and was really wanting to be a DC or even a HC...he would have left a while ago.

I suspect Mr. Butler is our new assistant head coach, much like Russ Grimm was while Cowher was still here. Give him raise, tell him he'll be the next DC if DL leaves..if not he still gets the $ he wants.

[steeltheone]

Originally Posted by Fire Arians

there's nobody who knows our defense inside and out like butler does right now, and DL is not a lock to work for the next 5 years even if he says he will be. age is a mother****er.

besides butler is a younger coach who can also add fresh new ideas for the defense. he is ready and I think he will even be better than lebeau is right now. coaches lose their edge with age, and althout lebeau is one of the all-time greats, I think he's not the top DC he used to be. He's still good, but some games really make me scratch my head, like that denver debacle

me personally, i think he should have retired years ago. Once a coach has retirement in the back of their mind and needs to 'think about coming back or retiring the next season', they need to hang it up. When you're at that point, you no longer have that competitive fire that made you great. that's not a knock on lebeau, that's just life. happened to the best of em, even Noll.

Well Butler is almost 60 so not really a young coach. All his NFL experience is under DL so more than likely thats the type of defense he will run when he gets his chance. ( not a bad thing)
I'm just not sure looking at his resume what part of it jumps out as super coach ?

I guess they figure he has done well with the linebackers and will be a smooth transition from DL.

[Ricco Suavez]

Honestly I think I would sit them both down or at least LeBeau first and find out what his thoughts are on when he sees his self stepping down. I would even consider making Butler the DC and keeping LeBeau in some other capacity to continue mentoring for another year, with the stipulation that Butler is in charge.

[Bayz101]

Well based on the news of Butler returning, it seems he was told want he wanted to hear. He's probably sporting a glorified tag and a hefty paycheck. He'll likely be Defensive Coordinator following next season. I think this is Dick's last season as the DC.

[ricardisimo]

Originally Posted by Bayz101

Well based on the news of Butler returning, it seems he was told want he wanted to hear. He's probably sporting a glorified tag and a hefty paycheck. He'll likely be Defensive Coordinator following next season. I think this is Dick's last season as the DC.

I'm not so sure. Considering the speed with which his contract was renewed this year - basically within seconds of the Denver game - it seemed to me like the job is his not quite for as long as he wants it, but close.