Could this be Todd Haley’s final year with the Pittsburgh Steelers?
By Matt Conner
Reports are coming out of Pittsburgh that Todd Haley and Ben Roethlisberger are at odds with one another, which could signal that one might be on the outs.
For three seasons, from 2009-2011, Todd Haley roamed the sidelines in Kansas City as the head coach for the Chiefs. Unfortunately for him, he was undermined by his own general manager, Scott Pioli (depending on who you ask, I suppose), and lost his job as part of a serious leadership rift in Kansas City.
Since then, Haley has been a stalwart on the Steelers sideline as the team’s offensive coordinator, learning under head coach Mike Tomlin, working with future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and awaiting his second chance as an NFL head coach. Will he get another chance? Possibly, but he might not be working for the Steelers when that opportunity arrives.
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Jason La Canfora has word that there’s a growing rift in Pittsburgh between Big Ben and Haley, so much so that Roethlisberger asked Tomlin for another coach to serve as a “buffer” between the pair. It’s the sort of tension that could go away with a Super Bowl run, because winning cures everything, but in reality if Big Ben is going to be around and not waffle on retirement, then another year dealing with this offensive tension could become a burden that’s too big to ignore.
If Haley is unable to garner a head coaching opportunity this offseason, it could be interesting to see where he might head if Pittsburgh decides to part ways. It would not be a stretch to see him reunite with others from the Bill Parcells coaching tree. If Todd Bowles lasts another season in New York, Haley would be an ideal addition to the Jets offensive staff. Maybe Mike Zimmer could get him a job with the Minnesota Vikings.
Next: Watch Jarvis Landry try to intentionally hurt Darrelle Revis
Until then, the drama in Pittsburgh will continue to be a storyline to follow, one that the Steelers have to hope won’t become a central focus as the team enters the postseason.