Cowher to resign as Steeler's coach Monday

[Reds Fanatic]

According to a Pittsburgh paper Bill Cowher will announce his retirement as coach on Monday.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6333920

Bill Cowher is expected to announce his retirement as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Thursday.

Cowher has coached the Steelers for 15 seasons, the longest tenure of any current National Football League coach, and has one season remaining on his contract with the team. But since he and his wife purchased a new home in Raliegh, N.C., there has been widespread speculation that he would walk away from the post after this season to spend more time with his family.

Cowher reportedly met Tuesday with team chairman Dan Rooney and president Art Rooney II to discuss his future. It was uncertain Thursday whether any final determination was made during that meeting.

Under Cowher, the Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl last February, and have won eight division titles and reached the playoffs 10 times.

The Steelers could promote from within to replace Cowher. Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt would be one of the leading candidates. Whisenhunt reportedly interviewed Thursday with the Atlanta Falcons and owner Arthur Blank.

[redsfanmia]

Boo Hoo, I hope they hire an idiot who runs that franchise into the ground, I heard Cam Cameron is avaliable and willing to be a head coach.

[MWM]

Promote Dick LeBeau. I think he's earned it.

[Heath]

So in 2008 the teams after Cowher will be the following -

Carolina - if Fox isn't retained.
Tampa Bay - esp. if Gruden goes 4-12 again or Cleveland comes calling.
Washington - Snyder has the cash.
Cleveland - he played there - also coached ST there...you never know.


I can't believe that we are talking about the END of next season.

[Reds4Life]

Anyone who thinks Cowher is going to stay retired is living in a dream land, he isn't that old.

[Reds Fanatic]

I read somewhere his daughter is home for one more year before college. He will take the year be with his family and he will be back coaching in 2008.

[George Foster]

I think this only helps the Bengals next year. It will be hard for a new coaching staff to make the playoffs in that division.

[SunDeck]

Promote Dick LeBeau. I think he's earned it.

I'd rather have him come back to Cincinnati.

[Matt700wlw]

I hope they suck for years and years now...

[Chip R]

So in 2008 the teams after Cowher will be the following -

Carolina - if Fox isn't retained.
Tampa Bay - esp. if Gruden goes 4-12 again or Cleveland comes calling.
Washington - Snyder has the cash.
Cleveland - he played there - also coached ST there...you never know.


I can't believe that we are talking about the END of next season.

You forgot Bama when Saban leaves for greener pastures.

[Yachtzee]

I'd rather have him come back to Cincinnati.

I'm not so sure about that. We've been down that road before and his defenses weren't so hot the second time around, even before he became head coach. I think Dick LeBeau depends on having the right players in place to fit his scheme. The "Fire Zone" defense requires safeties who are fast, but can also play "big" like a linebacker. The prototype here is a David Fulcher or a Troy Polamalu, who can cover deep, stop the run, and rush the QB. It also requires a lot of depth at linebacker, and defensive linemen agile enough to occupy 2 blockers or drop back into coverage.

At safety, the Bengals currently have Dexter Jackson and Madieu Williams, so it may be interesting to see them play in a "fire zone" defense. But if they get hurt, Kevin Kaesveharn is definitely not the type of safety who would succeed in such a D. With Thurman and Pollack likely not around next season, I don't think they have enough talent at linebacker to switch to a 3-4 arrangement. They would have to possibly move Geathers to linebacker, which means a season of learning a new position. On the DL, they have Sam Adams and Peko, but Justin Smith is likely gone and if you move Geathers to LB, then you've got less depth there. I think it would take at least 2 seasons for the Bengals to get the talent on board and get everyone comfortable playing in the "fire zone" D. I'd much rather have a coordinator who can evalutate the talent on hand, identify need areas, and who can then create a scheme that gives that talent the best chance to succeed.

As much as I like LeBeau as a person, I'd rather look elsewhere if they're shopping for D-coordinators.

[Blimpie]

Call Nick Saban.

He's probably been having second thoughts about his current gig ever since he was mobbed by "excited fans" at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airstrip yesterday.

[Caveat Emperor]

Anyone who thinks Cowher is going to stay retired is living in a dream land, he isn't that old.

Unless he's planning to go to the college ranks, he's walking away from the best gig in the NFL.

If I were a coach, I can't think of a single ownership group I'd rather work under than the Rooney family. In Pittsburgh, he has the kind of job security that other coaches only can dream about. He won't find that anywhere else -- the rest of the world is filled with pressure to win, win now, and win tomorrow. A lot of owners (read: virtually every other owner) wouldn't have let him stay in Pittsburgh as long as he did without winning the big game.

I like Cowher -- I guess he knows what is best for him.

[Yachtzee]

Unless he's planning to go to the college ranks, he's walking away from the best gig in the NFL.

If I were a coach, I can't think of a single ownership group I'd rather work under than the Rooney family. In Pittsburgh, he has the kind of job security that other coaches only can dream about. He won't find that anywhere else -- the rest of the world is filled with pressure to win, win now, and win tomorrow. A lot of owners (read: virtually every other owner) wouldn't have let him stay in Pittsburgh as long as he did without winning the big game.

I like Cowher -- I guess he knows what is best for him.

Of course, the problem with that job is that he has to live in Pittsburgh.

[max venable]

So...it's official...Cowher's gone. And with that in mind, just let me, as a Bengals fan, say:

I HATE THE STEELERS!!

But I respect Bill Cowher. GREAT coach. I really can't think of a reason to not admire and like the guy (except that he coached the hated Squealers).