And a coach with no vision that left the Steelers with an aging, broken down offensive line and only one backup legitimately good enough to come in and take over in a position. Here's the last year of Russ Grimm.
Marvel Smith - 28, broken down. Missed 4 games the following year and 11 games the year after that.
Alan Faneca - 30.
Jeff Hartings - 34, retired after that year.
Kendall Simmons - 27, battling Diabetes and never really came back from it after being diagnosed.
Max Starks - 24, the following year, he started only 4 games. Year after that, 11 games. In 2010, started 7 games. He only had a couple of good years.
So, who did they have for backups?
Center - Chukki Okobi. How bad do yo have to be when your team loses their starting center and still lets you go to another team.
RG - Kemoeatu. Okay at best.
RT - Willie Colon. Not a bad player, probably the best we had behind the starters, but his offside penalties killed drives.
Trai Essex. Yeah.
Of that group of backups, only one was able to take the starting job and do half-way well. And that was Colon. (will never forget him
pancaking the Bengals DLman in that game).
Russ Grimm? No thanks. We just climbed out of the hole he made for us three or so years ago.