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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 12.31.18
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Ray Fittipaldo
11:56
Welcome to my weekly Steelers chat. Happy New Year. Let's get started.
Steeler Joe
11:57
I really want to understand: Help me. Does Keith Butler manage the defense or Mike Tomlin? What role does Tomlin have--is he in charge of the secondary? If so, should the blame for defensive secondary miscommunication fall to him instead of Butler? There has been a lot of "nudge" and "wink" stuff from PG staffers about the defense, and who is really in charge, but I'd like to hear it out loud and clear. Would firing Butler really resolve the issue? Or is Tomlin the problem?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:00
I can tell you Mike Tomlin is more involved in the defense than he has ever been. He let it slip in the postgame news conference after the Patriots game that he was too distracted by arguing with an official that he failed to communicate the correct call to the secondary on the play where Chris Hogan scored. That kind of went unnoticed, but I noticed it. So he is obviously involved to the point where he is communicating calls on the field. Whether that's directly to players or through another coach does not matter. Will Keith Butler become the scapegoat? Perhaps. But there is going to come a time where the buck stops with Tomlin. The Rooneys like coaching continuity, but there is also a time for change. It will be interesting to see what Art Rooney Ii does.
BB
12:00
Ray - Over under on Steelers coaching staff changes?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:01
I don't know a number, but inevitably there will be change.
Steeler Joe
12:01
Chance that we'd be able to pry CJ Mosely away from the Ravens, since he's a free agent this year? Maybe if we throw some of the Le'veon Bell savings at him? Money better spent, I'd say.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:02
Teams like the Ravens don't let good players like Mosley walk away. He's still in his prime. Only older players like Terrell Suggs and Sean Lee will be available. Suggs because he's old and Lee because he can't stay healthy. And other players like them. I can't imagine a scenario where Mosley walks away from Baltimore.
DaquidoBazzini
12:03
Hi, Ray….I can go either way on Mike Tomlin. But I’ve been hard pressed to find any Steeler fan that likes him.
That’s not his purpose as a HC, but isn’t it a growing concern by ownership that he does not give off a fan friendly vibe and his critics are growing?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:03
The Steelers don't care if he's well-liked by fans. The Steelers care if he makes the playoffs and wins Super Bowls. He hasn't wonder a Super Bowl in a decade.
Steeler in Charlotte
12:03
Is there any talk around the team about Shazier's role moving forward with his contract ending?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:04
No they haven't discussed that with us. I am sure if Ryan wants to hang around they'll let him hang around. He did some work in scouting this year. He was around the players a lot. But they have not announced anything about his future.
Hasobesecats
12:05
Do you think the Steelers will save themselves $9 million of wasted, chewed up bubblegum by letting Dupree go?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:06
I can't imagine a scenario where the Steelers pay Dupree $9.2 for his services next season. Now they might come to terms with him on a cheaper long-term deal. Maybe he's worth $5 million a year over a three-year prove-it type of deal. And you bring in someone to challenge him for the job. But you don't pay that type of money to someone like Dupree who hasn't earned it. It would be foolish.
Steeler Joe
12:07
Marvin Lewis as defensive coordinator? Plausible?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:08
Let's wait to see what happens with Keith Butler first. Sure Lewis would be a candidate. He has a strong history as a coordinator and knows the 3-4 defense as well as anyone. I would be a little scared off because of the types of players he had in Cincinnati, but at the same time, he would have no say in personnel here so that wouldn't really be an issue.
DaquidoBazzini
12:08
What do you think the Steelers could get (and I’m not expecting a lot because of age) for AB in a trade between now and the draft?
Also, what ever happened to the always laughing, upbeat AB? Seems very sour these days.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:10
That's a great question. What did the Raiders get for Khalil Mack? I know there was a first-round pick involved, maybe two. Brown is 30 so the price might be a little lower. But I'd have to get a high No. 1 for him. That being said teams would know the Steelers want to deal Brown for a reason so they might have some leverage.
BB
12:10
Ray - Tomlin's Steelers a lock when they are big point favorites against a weak opponent.....like printing money.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:11
You are correct. It's the reason they missed the playoffs this year. They lost to a 4-12 Raiders team, a 6-10 Broncos team and tied a 7-8-1 Browns team. Bud Dupree said it after the game: This group plays down to the level of its competition. There is no denying that.
Larry in KY
12:11
Did the Killer B's sting us this year?  Bryant's bad behavior forcing a trade, Bell's merecurial holdout, Boswell forgetting how to kick, Antonio's media antics, Ben's untimely INT's, Butler's passive D???
Ray Fittipaldo
12:11
You pretty much covered it.
Spaniard
12:12
Hi Ray!  Hope you had a good holiday, and a safe and happy 2019! Tomlin has never had a losing season.  Every coach has pros and cons; Tomlin's biggest faults are his bad game day decision-making (in real time), and the tendency of his teams to either play down to (and sometimes up to) opponents.

Do you think that Tomlin is a good coach that has exceeded expectations considering the talent level of his teams, or is he an average coach who hasn't been able to capitalize on the talent he has?  In other words,  Cowher had bad seasons (in 15 years he had 3 losing seasons, including 2 that the team went 6-10)--do you think that his bad records in certain years were just a reflection of really, really bad teams, or does it show that Tomlin is a better overall motivator/better at working what he has?  Or is there no correlation in your opinion?  

A follow up question, a conundrum:  would you rather have a consistently good-to-average coach who's
Ray Fittipaldo
12:15
Tomlin is a good coach, but every coach has a shelf life. You saw what happened in Green Bay. It happened here with Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher. There will come a time it happens with Tomlin. Art Rooney II has to figure out if this team truly is among the most talented rosters in the NFL. If he believes that then he must seriously consider a change because Tomlin coaches in way too many close games, especially against inferior competition. However, has the media overrated the talent he's had to work with? In that case, he has to expect more out of Kevin Colbert. I tend to think the Steelers have a talented offensive roster that has largely underachieved. And I tend to think he has a defenisve roster that lacks playmakers.
Jocko from Morningside
12:15
I know how the Steelers operate but hasnt the NFL changed..New coaches are successful..Nagy..Pederson..McVay...why can't they fire Tomlin? Why is it unheard of?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:15
It's not unheard of and they certainly can. I just don't expect it this year. We'll see what happens.
Marc S
12:16
What is it going to take for Art 2 to fire Tomlin, honestly?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:17
Joe Starkey had a good column on Tomlin last night. It's online at post-gazette.com right now. The seat should be hot next year. Others might feel the time is now. We don't know how Art II feels. He'll meet with reporters in a few weeks and we'll get a better idea. I suspect he'll keep Tomlin but ask for a better running game, fewer turnovers, yada yada yada.
Sonny
12:17
Ray, when this organization be more active in free agency. It needs to be more aggressive
Ray Fittipaldo
12:18
They'll have more cap space than usual. However, they need to sign the QB to another contract. That will eat up a lot of money and they won't be signing him to a longer-term deal so they can't spread out the $ as much as they previously did. They also have some others guys like Joe Haden they'll want to extend.
Steeler Joe
12:18
I found DeCastro's comments in yesterday's piece by Gerry Dulac really unsettling. How does a team come into a must-win game with that kind of mindset? I've never been a "fire Tomlin" guy at all, very much acknowledge his skills. But that just seems like a giant waving red flag.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:19
I agree with you. The Browns almost pulled off the upset. Can you imagine the outrage in Steelers Nation if they lost to a depleted Bengals team?
Doug in Raleigh
12:19
I would hate to see the Steelers keep Tomlin and lose Munchak . Is there any chance they would go totally out of their comfort zone, and fire Tomlin and promote Munchak to the head-coaching job?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:20
That's not their style. They've been able to keep Munchak int he past. Maybe they can do it again. Apparently, the Broncos already asked for permission to interview him. And Arizona wanted him last year. They're looking again and could come after him harder if they really want him. He might be tough to keep this time.
Hasobesecats
12:20
Was it just me or did that Hilton, corner blitz get less and less effective since week five of last season?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:20
It wasn't you. Teams were ready for it.
mrbig
12:21
tomlin does nothing to improve himself!! same bad challenges, poor situational, playing down, etc year after year! 3 playoff wins since 2010! Why keep finding scapegoats??
Ray Fittipaldo
12:21
I don't disagree with you. Sometimes change is good. If not with the head coach then maybe with changes in personnel or other changes on the coaching staff. You can't stand pat if you're Art Rooney II. Change is inevitable.
Bob
12:22
Hi Ray.  First-time on your chat.  I’m not sold on Tomlin being fired as seems to be the case with a lot of people.  He does have responsibility but I think there needs to be a thorough accounting of all the assistants and do what is necessary.  What say you?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
I's an interesting situation for Art Rooney II. Maybe the best thing for this team would be a new voice. But you better have the right man signed sealed and delivered. And you better have confidence that he'd be able to find assistant coaches that could mold this roster into a winner. I'm not sure if Art has gone down that road which is why I think Tomlin will return. If you're asking me, I don't think now would be a bad time for a major change. But I readily admit I have more of a hockey owner's mentality when it comes to coaching changes.  And like I said, I don't think Rooney will make that move.
Alan
12:24
This organization seems to be stuck with no progress over the past several years. I think the Steelers need to go outside the norm this offeseasaon by either spending a bit more in free agency and/or moving up in the draft and grabbing an impact defensive player. What say you?
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