Steelers new offensive coordinator Haley, QB Roethlisberger yet to talk

[mesaSteeler]

Steelers new offensive coordinator Haley, QB Roethlisberger yet to talk

By Mark Kaboly
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Ben Roethlisberger hasn't talked to offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

"He still hasn't called yet," Roethlisberger said with a discouraged tone Monday.

(Earth to drama punk Benjie; You work for Haley, Haley does not work for you. Little drama punk Benjie has started down the road to becoming a locker room cancer. He's not there yet but if he splits the team over this stupidity he will be. - mesa)

Roethlisberger spent about five minutes Monday at the Steelers facility and likely won't have a chance to run into Haley soon.

Steelers coaches, including Haley, will be leaving Wednesday for Indianapolis, site of the NFL Combine. The invite workout for draft-eligible players will take place through the weekend.

Haley was introduced as the offensive coordinator Feb. 9 and spoke highly of Roethlisberger.

General manager Kevin Colbert said during a number of interviews last week that Haley has been busy in meetings and with the transition to a new city over the past two weeks.

While Haley is permitted interaction with players during the offseason, under the new collective bargaining agreement, Haley can't request a meeting with any of them, including Roethlisberger. (It's up to little drama punk Benjie to meet with Halye not the other way around. - mesa)

Teams with returning head coaches can start their nine-week offseason workout sessions no earlier than April 16. But there's no language in the CBA that states there can't be any direct contact between coaches and players before April 16 as long as it isn't mandatory.

Backup quarterback Charlie Batch told WBGG-AM (970) over the weekend that he chatted with Haley last week, and receiver Antonio Brown posted a picture on Twitter of he and Haley in the Steelers' locker room.

Will Wallace get tagged?

Yesterday was the first day that teams were allowed to apply the franchise tag to one of their free agents.

Receiver Mike Wallace is a restricted free agent and could be a candidate for a tag if the Steelers can get far enough under the cap to allow the extra salary hit. The Steelers are $11 million over the salary cap and must be in compliance by March 13.

A franchise tag on Wallace would cost the Steelers an estimated $9 million for this year — or until the two sides could work out a long-term deal.

The salary-cap problems may prevent Wallace from being tagged. And he likely would have plenty of suitors if the Steelers choose not to tag him.

In past years, franchise tags rarely were used.

Previously, there were provisions to tag those restricted players with a high tender, and the compensation for a team losing a restricted free agent was a first- and third-round pick. Under the new CBA, the most a team can receive is a first-round pick.

Teams with late-round picks like San Francisco, Cincinnati and New England might be willing to trade a first-round pick for Wallace. But the Steelers would have the right to match any offer to Wallace.

The tagging process runs through March 5.

Mark Kaboly can be reached at mkaboly@dailynewsemail.com or 412-664-9161.

Read more: Steelers new offensive coordinator Haley, QB Roethlisberger yet to talk - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...#ixzz1n15AXdH9

[Steelerindc]

For some reason I view this as a problem. Do you think if New England hired a new OC that he wouldn't reach out to Brady?

I'm not a fan of Haley at all, I did like what he did in Arizona and the run game in KC, but this is not getting off to a good start and Tomlin needs to get involved soon or this will take it's toll down the line.

[madtowndrunkard]

Maybe he's waiting for Ben to cool off? Maybe it's a "who blinks first" to show who the leader of this offense is?

Fact of the matter is... this is on Mike Tomlin. A HC calls his OC and says call your QB if he thinks it's necessary. You think Bill Cowher or Chuck Noll ignore the situation? I'm guessing Tomlin and Haley have had discussions on Ben. If they have not...then it's on Mike Tomlin - not Haley. Haley is there to do what ever Mike Tomlin says.

[steelfury02]

didn't see or hear Ben's tone/reaction so I won't say much but really - Journalism 101 - you leave your opinion out of an article. Unless he says in direct quotes mind you - "I'm disgruntled because he didn't call me yet." You can't say he said "He didn't call me," in a disgruntled voice.

My goodness, goodness
Ben - if you got a problem grow up
If its the media then stop it media

[Steelerindc]

I agree to a point. You're right Mike should call his OC and say meet your QB. But Haley is new to the Pittsburgh coming of getting fired from one job b/c of bad relations. Ben is a SB winning QB, it should be on the new guy with a history of getting in people faces (Arizona and KC) to make the effort.

[steelfury02]

good point - I'm sure Tomlin has talked to both extensively - and those conversations will never come to light

Don't think for one second these guys don't like playing games with the media.

Rooney, Tomlin, Haley and Ben are all sitting over a few beers in Georgia having a laugh at it right now.

[madtowndrunkard]

Originally Posted by Steelerindc

I agree to a point. You're right Mike should call his OC and say meet your QB. But Haley is new to the Pittsburgh coming of getting fired from one job b/c of bad relations. Ben is a SB winning QB, it should be on the new guy with a history of getting in people faces (Arizona and KC) to make the effort.

I guess I come from the school of.... when a new guy is brought onto the team... or if a new neighbor moves into the neighborhood...it's up to you to greet the new guy and make him feel welcome. Afterall it's the new guy who needs to learn his way around...and meet new people.

If your boss was recently replaced...would you ignore the new boss and wait for him to call you? Or would you walk up and introduce your self? It's called being a Man... have some class... or professionalism. Be a true teammate and welcome your new co-worker. If I'm Mike Tomlin I call up Ben and say "what is your problem?" GROW THE @#$#^ UP" and show some class and welcome the new guy... he just moved his entire family to Pittsburgh to win SB. I don't see this as being Haley's job to introduce him self. If Ben wants to meet him then do it.

They will get to know each other quite well come training camp time...so Haley doesn't care I'm sure. It's Ben who is being the sensitive b***h..and the media knows this of Ben - so they are printing every reaction.

I get the feeling Ben said "off the record" NO - that guy hasn't even called me...can you believe it? Who does he think he is?" It's not like Ben doesn't have a reputation of being selfish and immature.

[Whodis]

Ben needs to stop making this about him and be a leader of his team. It wasn't long ago that there was speculation he would be cut because of off field BS. Step up and make it about the team.

[Steelerindc]

Do you think Brady would have to wait for the new OC to contact him?

[madtowndrunkard]

Originally Posted by Steelerindc

Do you think Brady would have to wait for the new OC to contact him?

I think Tom Brady is the first guy to call the new OC.

Really Tom Brady probably meets the new OC before he's even hired. I suspect Brady might have a little input as to who NE would even hire... Most importantly a new OC in NE would only mean they got a new guy with the title OC. He'd be running the offense that was already in place. Brady would be teaching the new OC how to run the offense they use.

Our system has problems. Arians system managed to rank 22nd in the NFL in scoring. Haley doesn't need Ben to learn Ben's offense. Ben needs to learn Haley's offense. Sure Haley will probably keep many of the plays and verbage already in place.... but it is Haley who will be running the offense. Make no mistake about it.

If Ben doesn't want to learn the offense and make it difficult... I'm willing to bet Mr. Rooney will have NO problem showing Ben the door. Lets not forget Ben is not exactly Mr. Popular in the locker room or in the FO. So far Ben has alienated most of his teammates, busted his face on a windshield after winning a SB, settled 2 rape accusations out of court, been suspended for misconduct, and been a general A-hole. If you think the Rooney's don't care about any of that, you are sadly mistaken. The Rooney's have NEVER had a problem shipping out players they don't like personally. No way are the steelers ready to hand over the keys to the offense to Ben Roethlisberger. - A VASTLY different situation then what Tom Brady has. So to compare the two is just ridiculous.

I'll also add this.. if you or anyone else don't like the situation - it is Ben who made his bed. Ben could have probably had the keys to the offense if he played his cards right. Ben had the opportunity to have the same respect as Tom Brady. Ben pissed that away....and Arians in ability to improve the offense and find consistency spelled the end of Arians and his offense.