Mike Tomlin excited to see what Keith Butler does with Pittsburgh Steelers' defense

[polamalubeast]

PHOENIX -- The Pittsburgh Steelers opted for change when they decided to move on from Dick LeBeau and elevate linebackers coach Keith Butler to defensive coordinator.

One thing that put coach Mike Tomlin at ease with the move is that it offered change but not upheaval.


And that's from an organizational, philosophical and even personal standpoint.

Tomlin and Butler, after all, have coached together in three different places. They first worked with each other in 1996 when Butler coached the linebackers and defensive ends at Memphis and Tomlin served as his graduate assistant.

"The nature of our relationship has changed over the years and I enjoy that," Tomlin said with a laugh while chatting with Pittsburgh reporters at the NFL owners meetings. "We have a great deal of comfort and continuity. Also I'm looking forward to the impact he can have of putting his spin on what we have been doing. I am excited about how that might make us different and more competitive as we move forward. Change isn't something that I fear. If you are trying to be the very best that you can be you can't have that mentality."

Butler, at best, inherits a defense that is in transition. The more cynical view is that Butler has been handed a defense with more holes than a bad alibi.

Either way he will try to mold a respectable unit that can complement an offense that could again be one of the best ones in the NFL.

Butler has said he won't fundamentally change the Steelers' approach to defense. But he will have ideas of his own when it comes to shutting down the run and rushing the passer, areas in which the Steelers have slipped the last two years as the defense has been too old in some places but too callow in others.


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[86WARD]

I don't know...I was more excited at the time of the hiring (which wasn't very excited at all) than I am now...I feel more like it will be a disaster on that side of the ball...

[fansince'76]

Doesn't get much worse than 27th against the pass (which probably would have been even worse if our offense hadn't been 2nd in the league in TOP). I'm going to at least give Butler a chance.

[Lady Steel]

I'm going to give Butler a chance, as well, but I'm not holding out hope for our defense at this point with Troy still being around.

[steelreserve]

I'm hoping that a new coach means we'll see less favoritism toward the incumbents just because they're the incumbents, and more fresh faces getting a chance to crack the lineup and see what they can do ... meaning more of Tuitt and McCullers, less of McLendon and Cam Thomas ... Troy ramped down or let go unless he's somehow gotten way more effective ... Shamarko Thomas finally getting a chance to be on the field before his contract year ... whichever new DB or DBs we draft - and there'd fucking better be some high picks used for that - actually competing for jobs ... that kind of thing. If even half of those moves work out, we'll have improved the defense measurably.

[polamalubeast]

I hope to be wrong, but I think Butler is going to be much hated in his first season in Pittsburgh.When the last time the Steelers defense has been very little talented especially against the pass?

I hope the young players will be very good(Thomas,shazier,Jones,Tuitt and maybe the first round pick of this year),but if this is not the case,the Steelers are in trouble.This is important that a 37year old player is not one of the best players in defense!

The schedule will be tougher next year, I hope the young players will impress, otherwise it will be ugly and Butler will be blamed, even if it is not his fault

[Dwinsgames]

I'm hoping that a new coach means we'll see less favoritism toward the incumbents just because they're the incumbents, and more fresh faces getting a chance to crack the lineup and see what they can do ... meaning more of Tuitt and McCullers, less of McLendon and Cam Thomas ... Troy ramped down or let go unless he's somehow gotten way more effective ... Shamarko Thomas finally getting a chance to be on the field before his contract year ... whichever new DB or DBs we draft - and there'd fucking better be some high picks used for that - actually competing for jobs ... that kind of thing. If even half of those moves work out, we'll have improved the defense measurably.

a Ton of why he has not been is he has been hurt ( almost always by some stupid little thing ) before you can make any impact on the field you have to have a helmet on game day and be deemed healthy enough to enter the game .... half the battle to making an impact is being available and he hasn't been ...

do not over look Alden Darby

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I hope to be wrong, but I think Butler is going to be much hated in his first season in Pittsburgh.When the last time the Steelers defense has been very little talented especially against the pass?

I hope the young players will be very good(Thomas,shazier,Jones,Tuitt and maybe the first round pick of this year),but if this is not the case,the Steelers are in trouble.This is important that a 37year old player is not one of the best players in defense!

The schedule will be tougher next year, I hope the young players will impress, otherwise it will be ugly and Butler will be blamed, even if it is not his fault


Butler very well will be hated for the same reason Lebeau is no longer here .... lack of talent in 2 mandatory areas of a 3-4 def Rush outside linebackers and Corners who can cover for 4 seconds

[T&B fan]

we the fans out side of the room should be " excited to see" Tomlin better have a dam good idea of whats to come , he in the room where the plans are made ( I hope ). + hes worked with this man for some time now at 3 teams ,I would hope he has seen something . or was it next man /coach up .