Steelers MMQB: NFL Offseason News
By Kim Myers
Roethlisberger honored at Miami University (Ohio) basketball game for being inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
What We Learned This Week In the NFL Offseason
- Rob Ryan hired by Saints after the longest 5 minutes in history
- Gregg Williams reinstated by NFL and returning to coaching
- Ben Roethlisberger inducted into Miami University HOF
- Steelers brace for free agency
We just got through our first Sunday without football since September 2, 2012. Everyone ok? We just have 29 more Sundays to go till we’ll have football back. That’s not so bad right? Ok I know, it’s the longest offseason of all the major sports and each year it seems to feel a little bit longer. Luckily, we don’t have to wait until actual games are played in order to take some cheap shots.
Rob Ryan was announced this week as the New Orleans Saints new defensive coordinator ending his 5 minutes one month of unemployment. Ryan was let go from the Cowboys following the season where the defense was ranked 19th overall. The loud-mouthed Ryan stated when he was released that he’d be unemployed for “like 5 minutes”. Ryan was first named to the Rams as DC but apparently was just too much of a jagoff before even setting up his office and forgot to declare “No takzies backzies” so the hiring was not finalized. Now he will take over the defensive play calling for New Orleans, who gave up the most yards in a single season in NFL history with 7,042 allowed. Should be interesting considering Ryan has been known for his 3-4 defense and the Saints have always ran a 4-3. No doubt there will be some personnel shuffling around and the Saints will try very hard to keep Ryan’s mouth shut.
Bounty Scandal fall-guy Gregg Williams was quietly reinstated by the NFL this past week along with being named the new DC for Tennessee. Apparently the “indefinite” suspension was only for one year. One issue that will face Williams in his return to coaching in the NFL is the fact that Goodell basically ousted him as the Bounty Scandal “rat “stating that signed a sworn statement that Jonathan Vilma offered the $10K bounty on Brett Favre. No telling how well his players will trust him considering that but it’s not like the Titans defense can be choosey about who they let coach them.
Ben Roethlisberger finally graduated from Miami University last May and this Saturday was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Roethlisberger holds all of the school’s significant passing records, which include most games in a season passing for 200+ yards and consecutive 200+ passing yard games. During his time there from 2001-03 Roethlisberger was named Miami’s Co-Athlete of the Year in 2001 and 2003. Ben was proud to have been selected into the Hall of Fame following his graduation from the university,
"“I am really proud to have graduated. But to be in the Hall of Fame with the people there, it’s a super year. I think it speaks highly of Miami as a university to honor me after I have graduated. It speaks on how important they think academics are.”"
March 12 at approximately 4:00 pm the NFL 2013 free agency period will begin. If you thought last season saw a whole lot of changes with the Steelers roster, you ain’t seen nothing yet. The Steelers are once again in the salary cap “challenged” position as they are projected to be over the cap with only 30 players or so under contract. If you haven’t realized that Mike Wallace has played his last game in a Steelers uniform already, now is time to start dealing with that reality. Other FA’s likely to not be wearing the Black & Gold next season most likely include Rashard Mendenhall, Max Starks, Willie Colon, and Plaxico Burress. How it’s all going to play out is remain to be seen but with this much money over the cap already and an 8-8 record you can bet some changes will be made. Take a look at Dom’s take on the FA’s the Steelers have as well as Craig’s take on the rumor the Steeler might be switching to a zone-blocking scheme, which will definitely shake up the FA situation if true. If the Steelers have learned anything from the disappointing season they just had it should be to embrace change early rather than resisting it.
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