Pittsburgh’s Retaining Butler Illustrates a Couple of Important Things

Steelers’ LB’s Coach Keith Butler should be staying staying on Pittsburgh’s staff for 2012 and beyond! Woo Hoo! While ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news of Butler’s almost imminent departure over the weekend, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Gerry Dulac has nixed those rumors after Butler met with the Front Office and Coach Tomlin on Monday and decided against interviewing.

I for one could not be happier about the news that Butler is staying on the staff for 2012, and I thought that now would be a good time to discuss a few short thoughts of mine on the matter at hand. So hit that “Continue Reading” button and let’s get started:

What The Move Says To Me


To be honest, I threw my arms in the air when I read on Monday night/Tuesday morning that Butler would be sticking around. It’s a tad corny, but I truly breathed a huge sigh of relief when I read that Butler would be re-upping with the Steelers.

Yet in the midst of my happiness, I began to realize that Butler’s coming back wasn’t a huge shocker at all. In fact, I should have expected that Pittsburgh’s Front Office and Mike Tomlin understood the kind of quality Coach that Keith Butler was, and that they would inevitably do what they needed to do to keep him around.

For those of you that are unaware, Butler was a hot commodity the last couple of off-seasons for Defensive Coordinating gigs. After Schefter’s rumor that the Colts would be hiring Butler as their D.C., it really seemed that the Steelers had waited too long to ensure him a promotion.

However, the Steelers played it cool and made a sensible decision in a time of turmoil. Butler, in a situation where his contract would be up and unsure of LeBeau’s future, saw an opportunity to be with friends in Indy., (could have been a leveraging move on his part, and kudos to him if that’s what he did) and run and rebuild his very own Defense. Thankfully, Pittsburgh worked out a concession laden deal to keep “their guy” in Pittsburgh for the present with the implied notion of him taking over the Defense in the near future. By keeping Butler on the staff, Pittsburgh ensured two very important things:

First, Pittsburgh now can bridge the gap from LeBeau to his successor without any issue. There will be no controversy as to who will be taking the job, because the Front Office has essentially identified who they want to take over for one of the most successful Defensive Coaches this League has ever seen. There is no possible way that Butler would have come back had there not been some sort of assurance that his time to be D.C. would come in the near future. Second, the Steelers can maintain some sort of continuity on the Defensive side of the ball because Butler has been involved with 3-4 teams ever since he began coaching in the N.F.L. in 1999. That being said, the Steelers can continue to develop the 3-4 guys already in their system while bringing new guys aboard to help with the effort down the road and learn right off the bat what Butler wants to do. While there will undoubtedly be changes in terms of “wrinkles” and other aspects to the 3-4 scheme, the Base Defense should have numerous similarities to LeBeau’s.

http://nicepickcowher.com/2012/02/01/pittsburghs-retaining-butler-illustrates-a-couple-of-important-things/

HEEEELLL YES!!!

When Lebeau hangs it up maybe after this coming year when we win it all we won't miss a beat on Defense. Now we need some fat boys up front protecting Ben and we're set. Oh wait. I forgot WE'RE old and slow.

solardave wrote:

Now we need some fat boys up front protecting Ben and we're set.

I could use a new job.

if Butlers is staying then the Steelers must be staying with the 3-4 base defense, when I read he was leaving l thought the Steelers might be changing to a 4-3. Tampa Two defense Tomlin learned under Tony Dungy Dungy learned under Steelers DC Bud Carson, get the picture? with the Steelers not drafting a true NT so far and the 1st round picks of Hood, Hayward, and Timmons well there is the middle of the 4-3 cover two defense. Also Woodley would be a DE in that defense.

Now with Butler staying maybe the Steelers might be trying to develope a 3-4/4-3 hybred defense? if so you might not be seeing the Steelers drafting a NT in the 1st round because he will be in on runningg downs only.

Hell its the offseason and l like the defensive side of the game of football and l,m just thinking what you could do to stop these throw everywhere and all the time quick passing attacks but not letting your run defense suffer and Tomlin liking multi position players and his back ground with the 4-3 defense plus his 5 years learning LeBeau's 3-4 defense.

Interesting theory, Eff. I would definitely like to see something like this happen. It would keep offenses guessing and utilize our very versatile talent to it's fullest.

It would be pretty cool to see a defensive lineup of Woodley and Heyward at DE, Keisel and Hood at DT, Harrison/Timmons/Worilds at LBs, Taylor and Lewis/Brown/Allen/Gay (the best of these 4) at CB, and Troy and Clark at the FS and SS positions. It would be very interesting and potentially devastating.