Steelers Quietly Sign Todd Haley to Extension
By Kim Myers
The Steelers have made their first signing of the offseason and they’ve done it so quietly that nobody’s noticed. Probably a good thing since no matter how well Todd Haley’s offense has performed, he’s still pretty universally unliked across Steeler Nation.
Ed Bouchette of the PPG reported, kind of in passing really, that the Steelers have signed Haley to a 2-year extension to keep him through the 2016 season. Haley was in the final year of his initial 3-year contract this season.
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Haley’s arrival to the Steelers wasn’t all that smooth or celebrated. Mike Tomlin said in his season-ending presser following the Steelers playoff loss to the Denver Broncos in 2012 that he expected both of his coordinators to return the following season. Days later the Steelers did not renew then-Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians’ contract and announced that he was retiring. Days later Arians was hired as the Offensive Coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts.
Ben Roethlisberger immediately expressed his displeasure with the “retiring” of Arians and actually brought Arians as his personal guest to the Pro Bowl that year setting up immediate perceived friction with whomever the Steelers were going to choose to replace Arians.
Then the hiring of Todd Haley was announced and although Haley is a “Pittsburgh guy” with his father serving as the Steelers’ Director of Player Personnel from 1971-1990, Haley was instantly disliked. We would spend the next two seasons with nonstop questioning over Haley’s and Roethlisberger’s relationship as well as questioning each and every call Haley made on the field.
For the 2014 regular season the Steelers offense finished 7th in overall points scored, 2nd in yards, 2nd in passing yards, and 16th in rushing yards. Ben Roethlisberger tied Drew Brees for the passing yards leader for the season with 4,952 passing yards, breaking his own personal record and the Steelers franchise record he set in 2009. The Steelers also boast of the top receiver in the game in Antonio Brown, finishing with 129 receptions for 1,698 yards. They also have the top running back in the AFC for 2014 in Le’Veon Bell, who finished with 1,361 rushing yards.
Love him or hate him Steeler Nation, Todd Haley’s offense is the strength of the team at this point and going forward. It makes sense to keep the continuity going and see what they can build upon, provided they do the right thing and sign Ben Roethlisberger to an extension as well.
What do you think of the Steelers keeping Todd Haley?