UPDATE: Arians will NOT return in 2012

By Gerry Dulac , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Steelers coaching staff could undergo its first major change in the Mike Tomlin era because offensive coordinator Bruce Arians might not return in 2012, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has learned.

Arians, 57, is in the final year of his contract with the Steelers, and it is unclear if he is retiring -- something he considered last year -- or not having his contract renewed.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12018/1204433-100.stm?cmpid=steelers.xml#ixzz1jrh6ltwu
--------------------------------

From Dulac on Twitter ...

Bruce Arians not expected to return next season.

http://twitter.com/#!/gerrydulac/status/159803243684306945

Seems to be the topic of the day.....

stbsteeler wrote:

Seems to be the topic of the day.....

Good news travels fast.

I'm not sure whether to be overcome with joy, or nervous as hell. A new man leading this offense next season could be a bad thing, as it'll be sort of a rebuilding process on that side of the ball. Whatever, good luck to Arians and whatever he decides to do.

bayz101 wrote:

I'm not sure whether to be overcome with joy, or nervous as hell. A new man leading this offense next season could be a bad thing, as it'll be sort of a rebuilding process on that side of the ball. Whatever, good luck to Arians and whatever he decides to do.

Well, it's not official yet. I won't celebrate until I hear it confirmed by the Steelers. But you're right, if he does go, there will be some uncertainty. The good news is that other than the line, there won't be a lot of turnover at key positions on the offense like we might see on the defense.

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

I'm not sure whether to be overcome with joy, or nervous as hell. A new man leading this offense next season could be a bad thing, as it'll be sort of a rebuilding process on that side of the ball. Whatever, good luck to Arians and whatever he decides to do.

Well, it's not official yet. I won't celebrate until I hear it confirmed by the Steelers. But you're right, if he does go, there will be some uncertainty. The good news is that other than the line, there won't be a lot of turnover at key positions on the offense like we might see on the defense.

He might be going after the Colts or Buc's HC job

bayz101 wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

I'm not sure whether to be overcome with joy, or nervous as hell. A new man leading this offense next season could be a bad thing, as it'll be sort of a rebuilding process on that side of the ball. Whatever, good luck to Arians and whatever he decides to do.

Well, it's not official yet. I won't celebrate until I hear it confirmed by the Steelers. But you're right, if he does go, there will be some uncertainty. The good news is that other than the line, there won't be a lot of turnover at key positions on the offense like we might see on the defense.

He might be going after the Colts or Buc's HC job

My money is on Tressel for the Colts job. Keep in mind though, I don't have much money.

If Arians was being pursued by another team (I actually typed that without laughing), we would have heard something about it. And he wouldn't leave the Steelers until he knew he had the job. This is just me speculating, but based on Rooney's comments in 2010 about the running game, and his comments this week about the offense, I think, if this is true, that Arians is getting the boot. They may give him the option of retiring out of respect, but I think Rooney's comments were very clear ... that's why a lot of us have been speculating on it the past few days.

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

I'm not sure whether to be overcome with joy, or nervous as hell. A new man leading this offense next season could be a bad thing, as it'll be sort of a rebuilding process on that side of the ball. Whatever, good luck to Arians and whatever he decides to do.

Well, it's not official yet. I won't celebrate until I hear it confirmed by the Steelers. But you're right, if he does go, there will be some uncertainty. The good news is that other than the line, there won't be a lot of turnover at key positions on the offense like we might see on the defense.

He might be going after the Colts or Buc's HC job

My money is on Tressel for the Colts job. Keep in mind though, I don't have much money.

If Arians was being pursued by another team (I actually typed that without laughing), we would have heard something about it. And he wouldn't leave the Steelers until he knew he had the job. This is just me speculating, but based on Rooney's comments in 2010 about the running game, and his comments this week about the offense, I think, if this is true, that Arians is getting the boot. They may give him the option of retiring out of respect, but I think Rooney's comments were very clear ... that's why a lot of us have been speculating on it the past few days.

That's what i've been trying to say. Rooney made it clear what he thought of our offense in the interview. I think Bruce will either retire or resign. Resign as in step down, not a new contract, lol. He'll resign if he wants to keep his options open, but I almost doubt he'll do that.

bayz101 wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

I'm not sure whether to be overcome with joy, or nervous as hell. A new man leading this offense next season could be a bad thing, as it'll be sort of a rebuilding process on that side of the ball. Whatever, good luck to Arians and whatever he decides to do.

Well, it's not official yet. I won't celebrate until I hear it confirmed by the Steelers. But you're right, if he does go, there will be some uncertainty. The good news is that other than the line, there won't be a lot of turnover at key positions on the offense like we might see on the defense.

He might be going after the Colts or Buc's HC job

My money is on Tressel for the Colts job. Keep in mind though, I don't have much money.

If Arians was being pursued by another team (I actually typed that without laughing), we would have heard something about it. And he wouldn't leave the Steelers until he knew he had the job. This is just me speculating, but based on Rooney's comments in 2010 about the running game, and his comments this week about the offense, I think, if this is true, that Arians is getting the boot. They may give him the option of retiring out of respect, but I think Rooney's comments were very clear ... that's why a lot of us have been speculating on it the past few days.

That's what i've been trying to say. Rooney made it clear what he thought of our offense in the interview. I think Bruce will either retire or resign. Resign as in step down, not a new contract, lol. He'll resign if he wants to keep his options open, but I almost doubt he'll do that.

Everyone kept spinning it to say Rooney was talking solely about Ben. I never believed that. I agree that Ben is part of the problem, but he isn't going anywhere and we know Arians isn't going to be able to change him. The only logical option is to bring in someone who can. If people think coaching doesn't matter and great coaches can't make a difference in a player's performance, all you have to do is take a look at what happened in San Francisco this season.

Man I hope you're so right! We sooooo need him to get the hell out of Dodge NOW!! Here's crossing my fingers and my toes that this will come to fruition.

this scares the shit out of me to be honest with you

fer69 wrote:

this scares the shit out of me to be honest with you

I'm was in the same mind set about twenty minutes ago, but now i'm drinking

CapLovesTroyP43 wrote:

Man I hope you're so right! We sooooo need him to get the hell out of Dodge NOW!! Here's crossing my fingers and my toes that this will come to fruition.

I'm crossing my fingers, my toes, my eyes ... whatever helps.

Where's supy? This is like Christmas morning and he's still sleeping. Someone wake him up. Santa was here ... and left coal for him.

Wallace108 wrote:

Where's supy? This is like Christmas morning and he's still sleeping. Someone wake him up. Santa was here ... and left coal for him.

Supy must really like Bruce...

I don't dislike Bruce as much as half the people in steeler nation and I STILL couldn't convince him our offense isn't as good now as it was last year, and I REALLY don't think it is. We had a terrible coverage group last year and our offense had to constantly put up big numbers to stay in games, and that's how we lost the Super Bowl. We couldn't stop the Packers offense. This year the coverage improved, and now we can't score, lol.

IMO Going back to last year, if a guy is "thinking" retirement it's time to go.

Time to go bruce!

And hopefully Ben will keep his yap shut and not beg Arians to stay.

It's time.

Wallace108 wrote:

Where's supy? This is like Christmas morning and he's still sleeping. Someone wake him up. Santa was here ... and left coal for him.

Sleeping

Y'all are too funny. DUlac writes an article based on the exact same interview and then tweets about his own article and you're using it as a confirmation. hahaha


Dulac uses words like could and might and the dancing begins. Wallace you're a media guy, I can't believe you're getting all worked up over speculation.

Don't tease me!

Pull the trigger Arians, pull the trigger!!

so if arians does leave who do you guys want?

supytalpeht wrote:

Y'all are too funny. DUlac writes an article based on the exact same interview and then tweets about his own article and you're using it as a confirmation. hahaha

The possibility alone gets me giddy.

supytalpeht wrote:

Dulac uses words like could and might and the dancing begins. Wallace you're a media guy, I can't believe you're getting all worked up over speculation.

No, I stated that I'm not taking it as fact until it's confirmed by someone in the Steelers organization. But Dulac's report wasn't his own speculation based on what Rooney said earlier. He has another source. The reason he used words like "could and might" is because he couldn't get it confirmed.

BGSU A Dub wrote:

I'm really indifferent to if he stays or goes. It's the players that execute, not the coaches. While it might be nice to have some new blood and new ideas, it's always scary not knowing what you can get.

I agree that it's the players who execute, not the coaches. But it's the coaches' responsibility to get the players to execute and put them in the best position to do so. Just look at the 49ers ... it's the same exact team as last year. Under Singletary last year, the 49ers sucked ... they couldn't get out of their own way. But now look what Harbaugh and his staff are doing with the same exact players. The 49ers offense (with Alex friggin' Smith) just beat the Saints in a shootout.

Another tweet from Dulac ...

Quote :

Gerry Dulac
@gerrydulac Gerry Dulac
Steelers may have to go outside to hire off coordinator for first time since Kevin Gilbride in 1999.

I might be reading too much into that, but it sounds like he's pretty confident in his source.

It's beginning to look more and more like this is going to happen. This is from Bouchette:

Quote :

It appears Bruce Arians is out, one way or another, as Gerry Dulac has reported. There goes that lightning rod, now who's the next target?

Sadly, Kirby Wilson was in line to be the next offensive coordinator. He's fighting for his life, still in critical condition in the burn unit at Mercy.

The next offensive coordinator might have to come from outside. Randy Fichtner, the quarterbacks coach, would seem a possible choice. There also might be someone Mike Tomlin has had in mind in case this day came.

But will Tomlin truly be the one to hire the next coach? Remember, he said just last week that he wanted both of his coordinators back, and by all accounts it sounded as though Arians wanted to come back. But what if his contract wasn't renewed, which Gerry raised as one of the possibilities? That would not have been Tomlin's decision, but Art Rooney's.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/114466-ed-wilson-was-in-line-to-be-next-coordinator

The picture that is being painted is that Tomlin and Ben wanted Arians back. Arians wanted to return. So why would he be leaving? Rooney. I guess Arians should have listened to him and ran the ball more consistently.