Todd Haley told people he wasn’t interested in head coaching jobs

Todd Haley told people he wasn’t interested in head coaching jobs

Posted by Darin Gantt on January 28, 2016



During the recent coach-hiring cycle, seven teams hired without interviewing a former head coach who ran one of the most dynamic offenses in the league last year.

And that’s apparently because Todd Haley chose to not participate.

According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers offensive coordinator “told people he was not interested in any head coaching jobs this year and so there was no publicly stated interest in him.”

While there might be reasons for teams to not be interested in Haley as a head coach going back to his 19-26 record with the Chiefs, it’s hard to argue with the job he’s done with the Steelers.

Certainly they have personnel, but he’s kept Ben Roethlisberger and friends running at a high level, through a ridiculous amount of injuries. And many coaches have learned from mistakes in their first jobs and come back and done that a second time.

Whether Haley’s not ready to jump back in the pool, or simply didn’t get interest from a place he wanted to go, he’s staying put. And staying in Pittsburgh with the cast of talent he has may do more to help his stock than interviewing for a job in some dubious situations this year might have.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/01/28/todd-haley-told-people-he-wasnt-interested-in-head-coaching-jobs/

Good story 5-0. From a business point of view if we win it all next year his stock will soar and who wouldn't want to be in that position? I was leary that first year but man what a good fit he is.

I hear he's interested in a "bathroom fixture remover" position that has come open.

The Steelers are lucky to have him. He's done a great job adjusting to all the injuries, and has this offense ready to be the most prolific in the NFL next year if they can avoid the injury bug.

I've been impressed with the way he was able to adjust his play calling as the year went on. Early in the year I thought he had some questionable play calling. But as the injuries kept piling up, he was able to integrate the talent that was available to him and maximize the impact they could have on the field. It was the most impressive thing I've seen Haley do in his career. He did an incredible job.

Coach Tomlin was instrumental in the mindset of the team, and was clearly a leader of men this past season. Anyone that has been questioning his leadership and his ability as a coach and developer of talent should be silenced after watching the progression of this years team.

The entire coaching staff did a great job, as we saw the team and the individual players get better as the year went on.

Continuity is important. If the coaching staff is back next year intact and the talent on the field remains relatively healthy, they should make a run at a championship. They're close, and I believe they're ready.

its a good gig being the Steelers OC right now that would be hard to give up with less pressure compared to being HC.

And I am not interested in being appointed to the Supreme Court

Haley has done a great job as OC, but uness you are someone like Coach LeBeau who was older and had a unique status as the Steelers DC (Tomlin was told by the Rooneys when he interviewed for the HC position that part of the deal was LeBeau was staying), every coordinator would like to be the head guy. Your marketability as an OC can go away in a flash if your franchise QB is lost for the season

Maybe Haley did not want to coach the Browns, but if teams such as the Dolphins or Eagles would have asked for an interview I doubt Haley would have said no

I think it's more of the right teams didn't call, then Haley not wanting a HC job.

Regardless, good for us.

I've mentioned this before but Haley is a cousin of a family friend. From what I know, he had a really bad experience with Pioli in Kansas City. Pioli would go behind his back and stuff like that. He as you guys know grew up rooting for this team, his father along with Bill Nunn, Sr is given a lion's share of the credit for the '74 Draft that gave the team four Hall of Famers. So I think Todd is living the dream here to speak. It might not be as HC as he probably sought out to do but he's probably content here. I am really glad he's worked out as OC. I was really excited when we got him because of the personal connection.

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

I've mentioned this before but Haley is a cousin of a family friend. From what I know, he had a really bad experience with Pioli in Kansas City. Pioli would go behind his back and stuff like that. He as you guys know grew up rooting for this team, his father along with Bill Nunn, Sr is given a lion's share of the credit for the '74 Draft that gave the team four Hall of Famers. So I think Todd is living the dream here to speak. It might not be as HC as he probably sought out to do but he's probably content here. I am really glad he's worked out as OC. I was really excited when we got him because of the personal connection.

agreed, I think he really is happy where he is. Not everybody wants to be a head coach more than once. However, a chance with a team in the right position and a little more money could change a person's mind.

Atlanta Dan wrote:

And I am not interested in being appointed to the Supreme Court

Haley has done a great job as OC, but uness you are someone like Coach LeBeau who was older and had a unique status as the Steelers DC (Tomlin was told by the Rooneys when he interviewed for the HC position that part of the deal was LeBeau was staying), every coordinator would like to be the head guy.  Your marketability as an OC can go away in a flash if your franchise QB is lost for the season

Maybe Haley did not want to coach the Browns, but if teams such as the Dolphins or Eagles would have asked for an interview I doubt Haley would have said no

Not necessarily.

Haley was a HC once and had marginal success with that and maybe he realized then that he simply was not suited to be a HC.

Not everyone looks at the "Ladder of Success" in the same way.

Many people are motivated to keep climbing and even if the ladder ends, they somehow find a way to add more rungs.
But others may find success on some of the lower rungs and feel quite content and really have no desire to keep climbing.
Success isn't always about reaching pinnacles but rather it's about being happy and if happiness for Haley is being an OC, who's to say he's wrong?

The same thing goes for "Taking the Money".
How many times have we seen players who are fabulously successful with a team and well-liked by its fans leave for more money elsewhere only to have their careers fall into obscurity?  Granted, they make more money, but at what cost?

Over the years there have been many players on this team who accepted pay cuts or other adjustments to their contracts in order to help the team in terms of cap issues because they wanted to remain a Steeler.  Many of them I'm sure could have gotten more money by testing the market, but they wanted to be a Steeler more than they wanted to pad their bank accounts and so they stayed because they felt that their value here went beyond dollar signs.

Everyone has their own idea of success.

The pressure of being a HC is huge and not all people want to deal with it, especially to someone who experienced it before.

Haley was rumored to be the top candidate for HC when the Arizona job opened up after Whisenhunt was fired. Of course Arians got that job.


Todd Haley top candidate to replace Cardinals' Ken Whisenhunt, according to report

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2012/12/18/3780886/ken-whisenhunt-fired-arizona-cardinals-todd-haley

And there were the bizarre claims after the Dolphins coach was fired in mid season that Haley was the front runner for that job, allegedly based on a recommendation from Bill Parcells, which turned out to be bullshit.

Dolphins are reportedly eyeing Steelers OC Todd Haley for head coaching job


http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/10/25/9610864/todd-haley-dolphins-head-coach-rumors

I would bet Haley's agent, with Haley's knowledge, was the source for him being under consideration for the Arizona and Miami jobs

I also would bet the "I do not want to be a head coach for now" is spin for why he was not interviewed for any of the openings.

Nothing wrong with that - but if a HC job is offered I bet he takes it - he is too young and the HC $$ are too good not to go for it - those offers are not as likely if Ben or Tomlin leaves (along with his staff)

harrison'samonster wrote:

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

I've mentioned this before but Haley is a cousin of a family friend. From what I know, he had a really bad experience with Pioli in Kansas City. Pioli would go behind his back and stuff like that. He as you guys know grew up rooting for this team, his father along with Bill Nunn, Sr is given a lion's share of the credit for the '74 Draft that gave the team four Hall of Famers. So I think Todd is living the dream here to speak. It might not be as HC as he probably sought out to do but he's probably content here. I am really glad he's worked out as OC. I was really excited when we got him because of the personal connection.

agreed, I think he really is happy where he is.  Not everybody wants to be a head coach more than once.  However, a chance with a team in the right position and a little more money could change a person's mind.

Yeah. I mean look at Coach LeBeau or a guy like Wade Phillips in Denver. I mean Todd's still young so you're right, you can't say never but as I said from what I heard second hand, the experience in KC really was trying and knowing he's with an organization like the Steelers helps too. Anyhow, I'm glad to have him.

I dont buy for a second that he doesnt want to be a HC. OC of the Steelers being his "dream job" that he will never move up from is just incredibly wishful thinking. Nobody in football is content with anything less than the top. But he might be waiting it out for the right situation and that hasnt opened up yet.