Bruce Arians opens up about his Steelers “retirement”

[polamalubeast]

Following the 2011 season, the Steelers fired offensive coordinator Bruce Arians but tried to sell it as a retirement. Few non-Steelers fans were fooled.

In an upcoming profile to debut Tuesday night on HBO’s Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel, Arians opens up about the end of his time in Pittsburgh, which happened after his contract expired.

Arians explains to Andrea Kremer that he’d been told by coach Mike Tomlin a new contract was coming, with an adjustment aimed at reflecting the team’s performance on offense. A few days later, the call came.

“[Tomlin] said, ‘I can’t get you the money,’” Arians tells Kremer. I said, ‘Okay.’ He said, ‘No, I can’t get you a contract.’ I said, ‘Are you firing me?’ He said, ‘No. . . .’

“‘Well . . . it’s just a matter of words, Mike,'” Arian said. “‘Okay. If I don’t have a contract, I’m fired.’

“And he said, ‘I’m going to fly down and talk.’ [I] said, ‘Why waste the money and the time?’ And so that was it. Walked upstairs and told my wife. And I’ve never seen her cry. And she cried.”

Arians thinks that the firing happened because some thought he was “too close” with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

“I had done a good job,” Arians contends. “Maybe not the right image, but it was a damn good job. I was pissed. But again, time heals things.”

Time does heal things, especially when the retirement is temporary and ends with a Coach of the Year award as offensive coordinator of the Colts and then three successful seasons as head coach of the Cardinals, the second of which resulted in a second Coach of the Year award.



http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/06/17/bruce-arians-opens-up-about-his-steelers-retirement/

[GBMelBlount]

Fire Tomlin!

[fansince'76]

This again? I'm sure another obligatory "Haley and Roethlisberger hate each other's guts" article is sure to follow.

I hate the offseason...

:deadhorse:

[AtlantaDan]

Thanks to HBO for stirring up my dormant dislike of BA:hatsoff:

I am amazed that a coach who has a head coaching playoff record of 1-4 (he was the HC when the Colts lost in the 2012 season) has somehow become the Bill Walsh of the 21st century in some media circles (e.g. - Arians getting an episode of A Football Life on NFL Network)

This is classic Arians

ANDREA KREMER: “Ultimately, what do you think cost you your job in Pittsburgh?”

BRUCE ARIANS: “The style of offense and my relationship with Ben.”

ANDREA KREMER: “Too close?”

BRUCE ARIANS: “They thought so. Some people thought so. And we didn’t run the ball enough.”

Partially correct in that Arians' relationship with Ben was indulging Ben's preference to hold on to the ball forever and shortening the franchise QB's career. As for Arians getting canned because of the the "style" of the offense, what was wrong with the "style" was getting Ben clobbered with these league rankings in total yards and points in the years Arians was the Steelers OC

2007 17th 9th
2008 22nd 20th
2009 7th 12th
2010 14th 12th
2011 12th 21st

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/AriaBr0.htm

Pretty clear the Steelers offense under Arians was consistent only in its mediocrity and getting worse. As evidenced by its best statistical year in 2009 being the one year the Steelers missed the playoffs while Arians was OC, when Troy & Smith were hurt, the defense carried the team while Arians ran the offense

As for the spouse, the P-G sums that up

Chris Arians’ comments makes Tomlin out to be the villain. That seems misguided. Tomlin very well might have gone to bat for Arians, but if the front office, or Art Rooney II in particular, wanted to make a change, Tomlin didn’t have a say in the matter.

Unless, of course, he offered to quit over it.

It appears that’s what Chris Arians wanted him to do.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Steelers-Blog/2016/06/17/Bruce-Arians-wife-rips-Mike-Tomlin/stories/201606170196

Arians refusing to STFU about getting canned reinforces my belief that he properly was terminated

Anyone who thinks the Steelers offense and/or Ben's level of play has declined since Arians was fired feel free to argue firing Arians was a mistake

[polamalubeast]

Firstly,Arians is 1-2 in the playoffs and one of his losses were with his 3rd QB.

Secondly, it is normal that the defense was the strong point of the team when Arians was the OC, since 8 of the 10 the highest paid players on the team was on the defense at this time.


Thirdly, Arians was forced by LeBeau or Tomlin to be conservative when the Steelers had the lead.When the Steelers should score a lot of points to win, the offense was fine.It almost costed the super bowl 43 because the Steelers were too conservative when they had the lead in the fourth quarter.When your running game is very bad, no reason to continue to run the ball so often when the game is still close.I not blame Arians on this game,since I'm sure it was not his decision to run the ball so often in this game, since Arians is one of the more aggressive coach in the NFL.

[AtlantaDan]

Firstly,Arians is 1-2 in the playoffs and one of his losses were with his 3rd QB.

Secondly, it is normal that the defense was the strong point of the team when Arians was the OC, since 8 of the 10 the highest paid players on the team was on the defense at this time.


Thirdly, Arians was forced by LeBeau or Tomlin to be conservative when the Steelers had the lead.When the Steelers should score a lot of points to win, the offense was fine.It almost costed the super bowl 43 because the Steelers were too conservative when they had the lead in the fourth quarter.When your running game is very bad, no reason to continue to run the ball so often when the game is still close.I not blame Arians on this game,since I'm sure it was not his decision to run the ball so often in this game, since Arians is one of the more aggressive coach in the NFL.

My error on the playoff record - Chuck Pagano came back as Colts HC at the end of the 2012 season after leaving due to illness

A head coach with a 1-2 playoff record getting the media attention Arians does is just as inexplicable to me

IMO if Arians had not been fired Ben's career would pretty much be over - getting a coordinator who forced Ben to change his game (at the direction of the owner) has made Ben a lot of $$$ and improved the offense

[polamalubeast]

My error on the playoff record - Chuck Pagano came back as Colts HC at the end of the 2012 season after leaving due to illness

A head coach with a 1-2 playoff record getting the media attention Arians does is just as inexplicable to me

IMO if Arians had not been fired Ben's career would pretty much be over - getting a coordinator who forced Ben to change his game (at the direction of the owner) has made Ben a lot of $$$ and improved the offense


The cards are 34-14 since Arians is their HC.Look at the history of the Cardinals before 2013, it was one of the worst franchises in sports history if we excluded their stunning presence to the Super Bowl in 2008.

The o-line was the problem when Arians was here and the improvement of the offense is mostly because of Antonio Brown, Bell and the o-line.Haley was far to do wonders in his debut with the steelers.

[GBMelBlount]

My error on the playoff record - Chuck Pagano came back as Colts HC at the end of the 2012 season after leaving due to illness

A head coach with a 1-2 playoff record getting the media attention Arians does is just as inexplicable to me

IMO if Arians had not been fired Ben's career would pretty much be over - getting a coordinator who forced Ben to change his game (at the direction of the owner) has made Ben a lot of $$$ and improved the offense

Wouldn't you agree a lot of the problems on offense were arguably due to the terrible line?

We really didn't start rebuilding our offensive line until 2010 if I am not mistaken?

In fact I remember both us bitching about the line not being addressed in several drafts where fortification was desperately needed. :chuckle:

[AtlantaDan]

The cards are 34-14 since Arians is their HC.Look at the history of the Cardinals before 2013, it was one of the worst franchises in sports history if we excluded their stunning presence to the Super Bowl in 2008.

As you note, Ken Whisenhunt went to the Super Bowl and then won the division in 2009 as well as another playoff game with the Cards - I do not recall him giving interviews to everyone but My Weekly Reader and Seventeen Magazine while being portrayed as an offensive genius or constantly bitching for years about not being hired as Steelers head coach after Cowher retired. And he actually got to the Super Bowl as a HC.

I thought Arians spent a lot of time cultivating his image while in Pittsburgh (Ron Cook was a particularly favored source) as he made bizarre play calls (take just about anything from the 2009 game at Cleveland in sub-zero wind chill) and admit i was sick of it.

I just do not like the guy and unlike other coaches I loathe (Bill Belichick) think there were legitimate grounds in terms of performance for that conclusion. That Arians had to go was an opinion shared by AJR II, who presumably had a better read on why than any of us do.

Arians leaving worked out for him and, more importantly, worked out for the Steelers. Why he cannot let it go is not a good look.

[polamalubeast]

As you note, Ken Whisenhunt went to the Super Bowl and then won the division in 2009 as well as another playoff game with the Cards - I do not recall him giving interviews to everyone but My Weekly Reader and Seventeen Magazine while being portrayed as an offensive genius or constantly bitching for years about not being hired as Steelers head coach after Cowher retired. And he actually got to the Super Bowl as a HC.


It was with a future HOF QB.

[fansince'76]

Wouldn't you agree a lot of the problems on offense were arguably due to the terrible line?

Yep. And even worse OL coaching (take a bow, Jack Bicknell!)


November 1, 2013

The schemes have changed, but the beatings have remained the same for Ben Roethlisberger.

Actually, they’ve gotten worse.

The Steelers quarterback is getting sacked at a higher rate than when he was playing under coordinator Bruce Arians, who was criticized for not sufficiently protecting the investment.

Ben Roethlisberger taking hits at record rates
(http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/01/ben-roethlisberger-taking-hits-at-record-rates/)
Bottom line: people can continue to heap the blame on Arians all they want, but the fact is the Steelers' offense didn't begin to turn things around until they finally hired a competent OL coach and Bell and Bryant exploded in 2014.

[st33lersguy]

Here is the thing, since Arians took over as full time head coach, the Steelers and the Cardinals have had the same amount of postseason appearances, wins, and same postseason record.
Plus in Pittsburgh's win, they won on the road (albeit against the worst postseason coach ever record-wise and a team of constant chokers) and were winning easily winning with a 3rd/4th string RB until Ben went down while Arizona's win was an OT win against a Packers team that had been fading for over half the season and was playing without their starting 2 WRs, and it went to OT because of some stupid calls from Arians. Additionally Pittsburgh's 2 losses were without Le'Veon against arguably the toughest road playoff team and a team who built 2 14 point leads against the eventual champions in their place in '14 and a hard fought close loss against the eventual Super Bowl champions without their top 2 RBs and star WR and with their QB injured last year. Arizona's losses? A 13 point loss to a 7-8-1 team (albeit down to their 3rd string QB) in '14 and a blowout stinker of a loss against the Super Bowl losers (the team that lost convincingly to the same team the Steelers nearly beat while injured) last year.

Also isn't it interesting that when the Steelers were making the playoffs with Arians it was also always while the defense was at or pretty darn close to the top of the rankings while with Haley, the defense has been below average (and downright in the pass defense) and the Steelers still have been making the playoffs

[AtlantaDan]

It was with a future HOF QB.

That future HOF QB's career was effectively on the ash heap until Whisenhunt showed up - this was not Jim Caldwell getting the Colts HC gig with a future HOF QB who had been playing at a high level

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WarnKu00.htm

I am just saying if the most important metric of a coach's success was based upon what they do in the regular season then Marvin Lewis would be headed to Canton - IMO Bruce should save the media blitzes for the first Super Bowl media day he attends as a HC - until then a HC with Arians' playoff record is, to use a Texas phrase, all hat (or in BA's case all Kangol) and no cattle

[polamalubeast]

Compared Bruce Arians to Marvin Lewis is a big disrespect...Lewis has a slightly above 500. record in his career!

[Butch]

I hated the fact that B.A. was so hard headed, the Wind game in Leaveland was a classic example of him insisting on passing the ball despite high winds and the fact that Leaveland was the worst rush defense in the league. Is it a wonder we lost that game to the bottom dweller in the division? I also hated that he refuses to game plan when a team we played loses a key defensive player, (yes I know Haley says the same thing and that drives me nuts too). I give a rats butt about what he did elsewhere what he did while he was here was mind boggling, I was happy to see him go and I still am.

The whole retirement thing was a complete debacle, but Brucey needs to move on, somehow I doubt he ever will.

[AtlantaDan]

Compared Bruce Arians to Marvin Lewis is a big disrespect...Lewis has a slightly above 500. record in his career!

Marvin has 5 consecutive playoff appearances (6 out of the last 7 seasons) and is 43 - 20 his last 4 seasons

Of course Lewis justifiably gets trashed for his playoff record and nobody has Marvin on HBO or an episode of A Football Life - maybe he should wear a more stylish cap and toot his own horn more often

[Edman]

No game sums up the Bruce Airhead Offense better than this game...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc5g4_MwE_k

Outgained the Steelers 469-310, down to their second and then third quarterback, on offense, playing against one of the worst secondaries in the league starting Antwon freaking Blake at corner and still lost with a pathetic 13 points.

That's why Ol' Brucey sucks and is gone.

[polamalubeast]

No game sums up the Bruce Airhead Offense better than this game...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc5g4_MwE_k

Outgained the Steelers 469-310, down to their second and then third quarterback, on offense, playing against one of the worst secondaries in the league starting Antwon freaking Blake at corner and still lost with a pathetic 13 points.

That's why Ol' Brucey sucks and is gone.


The Cardinals had the second best offense last year in points.....

- - - Updated - - -


I hated the fact that B.A. was so hard headed, the Wind game in Leaveland was a classic example of him insisting on passing the ball despite high winds and the fact that Leaveland was the worst rush defense in the league. Is it a wonder we lost that game to the bottom dweller in the division? I also hated that he refuses to game plan when a team we played loses a key defensive player, (yes I know Haley says the same thing and that drives me nuts too). I give a rats butt about what he did elsewhere what he did while he was here was mind boggling, I was happy to see him go and I still am.

The whole retirement thing was a complete debacle, but Brucey needs to move on, somehow I doubt he ever will.

Every coach can have a bad game....It was on a Thursday night also.

The defeat against the Raiders the game before was more embarrassing.

- - - Updated - - -


Marvin has 5 consecutive playoff appearances (6 out of the last 7 seasons) and is 43 - 20 his last 4 seasons

Of course Lewis justifiably gets trashed for his playoff record and nobody has Marvin on HBO or an episode of A Football Life - maybe he should wear a more stylish cap and toot his own horn more often

The Cardinals have outperformed their talent each season since Arians is with the Cardinals.This is why he is considered as a top 5 coach in the NFL.

[Butch]

It's not about a bad game it's about being hard headed insisting on the pass and not even considering the run. I disagree that the loss to Oakland was more embarrassing but that's my opinion. We had a game where everything was in line to run the ball down their throats, from the windy weather to the worst rush defense. Any peewee coach worth his weight in salt could tell you to run the ball, but Bruce insisted on the pass, pass pass. Yes this is one game but it was the one game that stuck in my mind at just how Stubborn Brucey was.

[ALLD]

He was getting stale in Pittsburgh and needed a change which benefited both sides.

[polamalubeast]

It's not about a bad game it's about being hard headed insisting on the pass and not even considering the run. I disagree that the loss to Oakland was more embarrassing but that's my opinion. We had a game where everything was in line to run the ball down their throats, from the windy weather to the worst rush defense. Any peewee coach worth his weight in salt could tell you to run the ball, but Bruce insisted on the pass, pass pass. Yes this is one game but it was the one game that stuck in my mind at just how Stubborn Brucey was.

Yes, but when the steelers trying to run, it was not very good in this game.It's not as if the Steelers had 6-7 yards per run and that Arians ignored the running game

Also, I am sure, if the Steelers would not have had the embarrassing defeat against the Raiders, the Steelers likely would have won against Cleveland since the Steelers would not have been shocked by the previous games.


Arians had a terrible game against the Browns but the play calling by Haley in 2014 against the jets is one of the worst I've ever seen.Roethlisberger had 9/11 for only 24 yards.No pass has traveled for more than 7 yards in the first 11 pass.

I rather be too aggressive as Arians can be that being too conservative which is sometimes a problem of Haley.Fortunately Haley seems to have fixed this problem for most of the time in 2015

[SteelerFanInStl]

Get over it and move on Bruce.

[tube517]

http://www.steelersuniverse.com/forums/showthread.php/25833-Wheaton-Says-Roethlisberger-Loves-Throwing-Deep-On-3rd-And-Short?p=552059&viewfull=1#post552059

[teegre]

I agree with pretty much everything that Atlanta Dan posted.

[Steel Peon]

http://rivista-cdn.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best-of-the-Burgh-Blogs/Pulling-No-Punches/September-2010/The-Ultimate-Hater-039s-Guide-to-the-Tampa-Bay-Bucs/Tomlin-3.jpg?ver=1285365922http://rivista-cdn.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best-of-the-Burgh-Blogs/Pulling-No-Punches/September-2010/The-Ultimate-Hater-039s-Guide-to-the-Tampa-Bay-Bucs/Tomlin-1.jpg?ver=1285365861

[Born2Steel]

BA's biggest claim to fame is, he was once the OC in Pittsburgh. His equivalent to 'Peaked in High School'. He just loves to relive the glory days.

[zulater]

Honestly I have no problem with B.A. his wife or the Steelers handling of this situation. No one likes to be fired. And their wives like it even less.
Ben wasn't going to make the necessary changes to his game under Bruce. Therefore Bruce needed to go. Art saw this and tried to get Tomlin to see it too. But Tomlin wouldn't make the change without having his hand forced. Therefore the awkward misunderstanding's occurred that did. In the end everyone ended up better off. So even though things were handled a bit uncomfortably at the time, I call no harm no foul.

[LloydWoodson]

I hated the limited running game in Arians' offense and the short screens.

I will say in his defense he did not have the OL for a dominant running game at the time. The OL was a joke and it is a miracle they won the Super Bowl at all.

I'm glad Arians is having success and I'm glad it is somewhere else.

[GBMelBlount]

The OL was a joke

This pretty well sums it up. It is hard to know what might have happened with a good line as it can make all the difference.

As Zu said, I am glad he is having success elsewhere...

and I am ecstatic about our current offense.

I guess everything worked out in the end.