Steelers fire special teams coach, Everest

In a curious move coming just two weeks before the start of the regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have made a change to their coaching staff.

The Steelers have parted ways with special teams coordinator Al Everest, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports.

There’s no word yet on what transpired to result in Everest being sent packing, but suffice to say that this is highly unusual: NFL coaching staff personnel changes hardly ever happen in the middle of the preseason.

Everest was hired in January of 2010, just days after he was fired by the 49ers, and was heading into his third season as the special teams coordinator for the Steelers. This would have been his 16th season as a special teams coordinator in the NFL.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/23/al-everest-out-as-steelers-special-teams-coordinator/

WTF? Two weeks from the season? Weird...

WTF!!!

"We are continually evaluating our coaching staff and support staff, and we have decided to go in a different direction with respect to the coaching of our special teams," head coach Mike Tomlin said. "I want to thank Al for his contributions and efforts, and I wish him well in the future."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-fire-special-teams-coach-650249/#ixzz24PKtvzwH

Wallace You're next!!!

Not like our STs have been that great!

stlrtruck wrote:

Not like our STs have been that great!

Maybe not great, but under Everest, they've been a lot better than they were before he got here. In the last 2 years, our special teams were no longer a huge weakness (except for maybe Suisham, but that's not Everest's fault). They haven't looked too good in the first two preseason games, but it seems odd that two preseason games would outweigh the past two seasons. It seems like there's more to the story here.

Wallace108 wrote:

stlrtruck wrote:

Not like our STs have been that great!

Maybe not great, but under Everest, they've been a lot better than they were before he got here. In the last 2 years, our special teams were no longer a huge weakness (except for maybe Suisham, but that's not Everest's fault). They haven't looked too good in the first two preseason games, but it seems odd that two preseason games would outweigh the past two seasons. It seems like there's more to the story here.

I agree with almost all of what you say except that Suisham hasn't hurt us (YET). I will admit the guy scares me. It's like an impending doom kind of feeling. You want to trust him but you can't. As far as Everest I agree there must be more than just the first 2 games that got him the axe. Maybe he was lobying to bring back Arians?

Daniel Hrapmann's career average in college was 73.6%. I'm actually kind of hoping the Ravens stick with Cundiff so the Steelers can kick that Tucker kid's tires.

Dodens Grav wrote:

Daniel Hrapmann's career average in college was 73.6%. I'm actually kind of hoping the Ravens stick with Cundiff so the Steelers can kick that Tucker kid's tires.

Well, he's 5-5 so far this preseason, one a game-winner, and the other WOULD have been a game-winner if the defense hadn't failed to stop Philly. I don't care what his college average is, really. I knew nothing about him coming into the preseason, and he's since made all of his field goals and a coupe game-winners to top it off. All I know is I DO NOT trust S.S. in the clutch, and he has tendencies to shank even short kicks into the sidelines.

Justin Tucker has a BIG leg from what I've seen, I like it. I'm sure they'll send him to the P.S. if he doesn't replace Cundiff.

This is an odd move. Any word on who his replacement is yet?

I also worry about Suisham. He's not that great and he surely doesn't give you much to feel confident about. I like what Hrapmann's done so far. I'd rather go with him than an inconsistent Suisham.

Justin Tucker has looked good for the Ravens. I would be stunned if they kept Cundiff over him considering what transpired in the AFCCG.

Many on Baltimore sports talk radio are saying they expect the Ravens to retain Cundiff because of his experience. I just don't understand that line of thinking at all. Cundiff missed an easy FG in the AFCCG that would have sent them to OT and a chance to go to the Super Bowl. That alone will make him hated by the fans in Baltimore and put a lot of heat and pressure on him.

He's also missed a few easy FGs in the pre-season and in training camp. Is that the experience you want on a contending football team? He will be booed out of M&T Bank Stadium the first time he misses any field goal there. His confidence and psyche will be shattered at that point. Better to just let him move on and start over elsewhere.

I hope the Rats are dumb enough to let Tucker go. I'd much rather have a mentally scarred Cundiff kicking for them against us than a promising looking rookie out to prove himself.

Tomlin fires special teams coach
Posted: Thursday, August 23, 2012 11:30 pm
Mike Bires

PITTSBURGH – Just moments after practice Thursday, Al Everest looked like the happiest man in the world. He had a big smile on his face as he walked down the hallway outside the Steelers’ locker room. But not long after that, he was a man without a job.

In a stunning development, Everest, 61, was fired as the Steelers’ special teams coordinator.

“We are continually evaluating our coaching staff and support staff, and we have decided to go in a different direction with respect to the coaching of our special teams,” explained coach Mike Tomlin.“I want to thank Al for his contributions and efforts, and I wish him well in the future.”

Tomlin replaced Everest by promoting special teams assistant coach Amos Jones, who will now assume all of special teams responsibility.

After Sunday’s 26-24 preseason win over the Colts, Tomlin had mixed reviews about the performance of the special teams.

(Read More:) http://www.timesonline.com/sports/steelers/steelers-fire-special-teams-coach/article_0e3733b9-4c91-5337-9648-a3671742d3ac.html

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Looks like his replacement will be the newly promoted Amos Jones. I know nothing about the guy, but I guess it "next man up" for the coaches too.

I'm not as sold on Hrapmann as Bayz is, but at this point, I'm in the "anybody other than Suisham" camp. Coming into last season, I kept saying that Suisham was going to cost us a game or two. He didn't. Only because he never had to make a game-winning kick or a kick in a high-pressure situation. He's horrible under pressure. Probably the biggest kick of his life came in the Super Bowl ... and we know how that turned out.

Quote :

Mark Kaboly ‏@MarkKaboly_Trib
Wonder if Shaun Suisham is going to complain to Mike Tomlin until the Steelers relent and bring back Everest?

Quote :

Alan Robinson ‏@arobinson_Trib

Mike Tomlin disappointed with special teams vs. Colts. Said "I didn't like our return game. ... (It) was below the line." #steelers

I'm still baffled by this move. Our returner last year (A. Brown), made the Pro Bowl with Everest in charge. But of course Brown won't be the returner this year. That job likely will go to Rainey. But in the last game, Marquis Maze, who won't even be on the roster, was returning punts. Maybe the problem is with the returner and not the coach.

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James C Wexell ‏@jimwexell
.@rogerhuffman86 No, didn't see it coming, but often wonderred why Everest was hired over Jones in the first place back in 2010.

Sounds like Wexell is confident in the new ST coach. I guess we'll see either way.

Quote :

Ken Laird ‏@Ken_Laird

@MarkKaboly_Trib What do you think Al Everest did, tweet during practice, or talk to the media about injuries? Or want Antonio on punt ret?

Quote :

Mark Kaboly ‏@MarkKaboly_Trib

@Ken_Laird probably cut inside the pylon while walking around the field.

I think everyone is baffled.

Ruh-ro ... what does Dulac know?

Quote :

EdBarr ‏@BigEdBarr71

@gerrydulac I don't understand the firing of Al Everest!? Thoughts Gerry?

Quote :

Gerry Dulac ‏@gerrydulac

@BigEdBarr71 Ed, not about on-field performance.

And even another hint from Dulac that there's more to the story ...

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Steeler560 ‏@steeler560

@gerrydulac peculiar firing, not just the fact that he improved special teams but also the timing...theres something else there...

Quote :

Gerry Dulac ‏@gerrydulac

@steeler560 yes there is.

Maybe he e-mailed a bunch of porn around the team offices?

Oh wait.... I forgot that's OK.

Well, there you have it.

IDK...Maybe he was doing Tomlin's wife?!?! ( don't ban me )

I didn't see this at all.

Amos Jones has been with the team as long as Tomlin has and many people were surprised that he wasn't named the special teams coordinator in 2010 anyway, so at the end of the day, other than the backstory of the firing itself, it seems this is much ado about nothing.

And I think Suisham actually did have a couple of game winning kicks, like the Buffalo game in 2010 and the Colts game in 2011. I have no trust in Crapmann, so why take a chance on somebody that could be even worse? Check out other teams' scrap heaps on the final cuts, imo. The Steelers' kicker scraps have not been impressive over the past decade.

Everest: 'Professional differences' reason Steelers fired him

By Eric Edholm

Former Steelers special-teams coach Al Everest, who was let go by the club Thursday, told Pro Football Weekly Friday morning that the move was because of "professional differences" with the club.

Everest would not specify further on the matter, saying, "It’s a professional differences deal. I’ll proceed from here. That’s where it is right now."

It's highly unusual for teams to fire coaches in the middle of the preseason. When asked about the curious timing and whether he was surprised by the move, Everest said, "It was a surprise for me, but the bottom line is that it was about professional differences."

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2012/08/24/everest-professional-differences-reason-steelers-f

Dodens Grav wrote:

And I think Suisham actually did have a couple of game winning kicks, like the Buffalo game in 2010 and the Colts game in 2011.

Correct. But in both those games, the score was tied. That's not the same kind of pressure as being down and needing a kick to win or at least send it to overtime. And those kicks were from 38 and 41 yards. Let's not put him in the Hall of Fame based on that.

It's the AFC championship game. The Steelers are down by 2 points with 2 seconds on the clock. Suisham lines up for a 48-yard field goal to send the Steelers to the Super Bowl. How confident are you that he makes it?