MVN - Most Valuable Network

Let The Search Begin

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a situation that they haven’t often faced over the last 34 years.  They are in search of a new head man to lead the Steelers into the a new era.  The Rooney’s said yesterday that they have already compiled a list of the possible candidates they will be looking toward.

Is there honestly a more coveted job for those coaches out there looking to become a head coach.  With the security the Steelers past two coaches have had, you would think people will be fighting for this marquee position with one of the NFL’s winningest franchises.

While Bill Cowher will certainly be missed, it’s time for a new legacy to begin, but not a legacy that will clash with the current system.

Although we can’t all see what exactly is on that list the the Rooney’s have made, we can speculate about who are great candidates.  This is the Steel Tradition short list.

The Insiders:

Ken Whisenhunt:

Ken Whisenhunt entered his third season as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator in 2006 and has earned high praise for installing a balanced offensive attack while adding a slice of trickery into the weekly game plan.

Promoted to his new position on Jan. 20, 2004, after serving the previous three years as the team’s tight ends coach, Whisenhunt begins his 10th season as an NFL coach.

Last year, the Steelers averaged 26.8 points per game in the playoffs, posting 34 points in the AFC Championship Game at Denver, who finished the regular season among the best in scoring defense (16.1 avg.). Additionally, Pittsburgh averaged nearly 140 yards rushing per game during the regular season to rank fifth in the NFL.

The Steelers showed significant improvement in 2004 under Whisenhunt while re-establishing their proud running attack. Overall, the Steelers’ offense improved from 22nd in the NFL to 16th in 2004, and the rushing attack finished second in the NFL compared to 31st from the previous season.

Whisenhunt, 44, joined the Steelers coaching staff as tight ends coach in January, 2001, when Mike Mularkey was promoted to offensive coordinator. He spent the 2000 season as tight ends coach for the New York Jets and was closely involved in offensive game-planning. 

Prior to the Jets, he spent the 1999 season coaching special teams for the Cleveland Browns.  Whisenhunt’s first NFL coaching job was with the Baltimore Ravens in 1997, when he coached tight ends for two seasons.

Whisenhunt began his coaching career at Vanderbilt University, where he coached special teams, tight ends and H-Backs for the Commodores from 1995-96. In 1996, he oversaw Bill Marinangel, who led all NCAA Division I punters with an average of 46.6 yards-per-punt and finished third in the nation with a 42.7 net punting average.A graduate of Georgia Tech, Whisenhunt played nine seasons as a tight end/H-Back for the Atlanta Falcons (1985-88), Washington Redskins (1989-90) and New York Jets (1991-93). He caught 62 passes for 601 yards and six touchdowns and earned a reputation as a well-rounded tight end and special teams player.

Whisenhunt finished his Georgia Tech career ranked second on the Yellow Jackets’ all-time receiving yardage list (1,264 yards) and fourth in career receptions (82). He was a consensus All-Atlantic Coast Conference and honorable mention All-America selection as a senior in 1984 when he averaged 19.1 yards-per-catch.

Whisenhunt passed on the Raider job a year ago and has interviewed for several others, but that job that he wanted is there for the taking now.

Russ Grimm:

Russ Grimm is in his sixth season as the Steelers offensive line coach and serves as Bill Cowher’s assistant head coach.

Grimm, 46, joined the Steelers Jan. 10, 2000, as only the second offensive line coach in Bill Cowher’s 15 seasons and has made an indelible impact in developing the Steelers’ offensive line.  Grimm’s value to the coaching staff was recognized by Cowher, who promoted Grimm to assistant head coach prior to the 2004 season, the only coach to hold that title in Cowher’s 15 years.

In his 25 years in the NFL, Grimm has only been associated with two teams. He spent 19 years as a player and a coach with the Washington Redskins prior to his appointment with the Steelers.

Under his guidance in 2005, the Steelers averaged nearly 140 yards rushing per game during the regular season to rank fifth in the NFL and they also grinded out 181 rushing yards in their Super Bowl XL victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

Grimm has molded a formidable and tough offensive front anchored by All-Pro guard Alan Faneca, who earned his fourth Pro Bowl start in 2006 in five appearances, and center Jeff Hartings, who made his second Pro Bowl appearance in 2006 and has developed into one of the best centers in the NFL in just five seasons.

Grimm also has tutored seventh-year offensive tackle Marvel Smith, who has blossomed into a Pro Bowl player, and guard Kendall Simmons, who has entrenched himself as a starter since the second week of his rookie season in 2002. He also has been instrumental in the development of third-year tackle Max Starks and center Chukky Okobi.

A native of Scottdale, Pa., and a graduate of the University of
Pittsburgh, Grimm coached the Redskins’ offensive line from 1997-2000. He is credited with the development of
Washington tackles Jon Jansen and Chris Samuels, who each earned starting spots as rookies on the Redskins’ offensive line. Prior to coaching the offensive line, Grimm spent five seasons (1992-96) as Washington’s tight ends coach.

Grimm started 11 seasons at guard for the Redskins (1981-91) and helped lead the team to four Super Bowl appearances and three victories. He was voted to four consecutive Pro Bowls (1983-86) and was a first-team selection to the 1980s all-decade team. He was among the 10 finalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Grimm has been in Pittsburgh under Bill Cowher for a number of years and has interviewed for several head coaching jobs.  This job could be that head coaching job that he’s been eyeing, but with a lot more security.

The Outsiders

Ron Rivera:

In 1984, Rivera was a second round choice draft pick for the Chicago Bears, becoming the first Puerto Rican to play in the NFL. In 1985, he played in Super Bowl XX, which the Bears won and he thus became the first Puerto Rican to play in a Super Bowl Championship Team. Rivera played for the Bears for a total of nine seasons (1984-1992). Rivera also participated in the Super Bowl Shuffle, a rap music video the Bears made.

In 1993, Rivera went to work for a WGN-TV and SportsChannel in Chicago as a TV analyst covering the Bears and college football. In 1996, he became the defense quality control coach for the Bears.

In 1999, Rivera was named linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. During his tenure the Eagles advanced to the NFC (National Football Conference) Championships for three consecutive seasons. He is credited with developing linebacker Jeremiah Trotter into a two-time Pro Bowl performer.

On January 23, 2004, Rivera was named the Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator, becoming the first Puerto Rican in the history of the NFL to hold such a position. In 2005, the Chicago Bears defense was rated #2 in the NFL. The Bears qualified for the NFC Play-Offs losing in the 2nd Round to the Carolina Panthers 29-21. The 2005 season output of the Chicago Bears has earned him consideration for Head Coach assignments from several NFL teams. He is currently the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. Rivera was interviewed for the vacant head coaching position with the Arizona Cardinals.

 Kirk Ferentz:

After playing football at Upper St. Clair High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ferentz played linebacker for the University of Connecticut. He was a football captain and an academic all-Yankee Conference linebacker at Connecticut. He served as a student assistant at Connecticut in 1977 and graduated in 1978. Ferentz spent his next two seasons as defensive coordinator at Worcester Academy, where he taught English literature. He then spent one season in 1980 as an assistant offensive line coach at the University of Pittsburgh. That Pitt team (coached by Jackie Sherrill) finished with an 11-1 record and a number two national ranking.

He was the offensive line coach at the University of Iowa under Hall of Fame coach Hayden Fry for nine seasons, from 1981 to 1989. Eleven Hawkeyes coached by Ferentz went on to play in the NFL. Three of them were first round picks in the NFL draft, and five of his players were first team All-Big Ten selections.

Ferentz left Iowa to coach at the University of Maine in 1990. After three seasons of coaching the Black Bears to a combined 12-21 record, he was named the offensive line coach of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. Ferentz served under Bill Belichick in Cleveland and later followed the franchise to Baltimore when they became the Baltimore Ravens. 

On June 2, 2006, Ferentz became the highest paid coach in the Big Ten and third highest in college football when he was given a restructured contract that boosted his salary to $2.7 million.

Currently there are rumors that Ferentz may get consideration for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coaching job should Bill Cowher decide to step down at the end of the season.

Cowher Resigns From Steelers

The question that has been asked more often in the last 11 months has finally been answered, as Bill Cowher has resigned his position from the Pittsburgh Steelers after 15 seasons.

Cowher decided to step down from his head coaching job with the Steelers to retire to North Carolina with his family. 

The 49-year-old Cowher left with one year left on his contract following an 8-8 season that was a disappointment, especially after last season: The Steelers became the first team to win three playoff games on the road and then the Super Bowl as a sixth-seeded AFC team.

“History will look back on Bill Cowher as one of the great coaches of all time,” Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said.

The Steelers will begin a coaching search immediately to replace the departing Cowher, who called Rooney on Thursday to inform him of his decision. Cowher, one of the NFL’s most recognizable faces and successful coaches, has weighed resigning since shortly after the Steelers finally won the Super Bowl in February.

One of the NFL’s rarest events now will occur — a Steelers coaching search. They have had only two coaches since 1969, when they still were playing in Pitt Stadium: Chuck Noll (23 seasons) and Cowher. The Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts have had 15 coaches during that time.

Cowher has talked of wanting to spend more time with his family, especially now that they are living in a new home in Raleigh, N.C., where he and wife Kaye attended North Carolina State. Cowher’s two oldest daughters are at Princeton and the youngest has 2½ years of high school remaining, time Cowher apparently doesn’t want to spend away from her. While Cowher is resigning, there is no indication he is retiring from pro football.

He said he is not weary of coaching or dealing with players. “Do I looked burned out?” Cowher asked at a recent news conference.

Cowher, who led the Steelers to the playoffs 10 times, the AFC title game six times and the Super Bowl twice, met with Rooney and team president Art Rooney II on Tuesday and asked for several days to weigh his future plans following an 8-8 season.

There was an understanding a decision would be made quickly because the Steelers don’t want any top candidates accepting other jobs before talking to them.

The Steelers gave Cowher the option of returning next season and completing his current contract, but that arrangement probably wouldn’t have satisfied either side.

Cowher, if he coaches again, has signaled he wants to be one of the league’s highest-paid coaches. His current $4 million-plus salary is about half that of Mike Holmgren, whose Seahawks lost to the Steelers in the Super Bowl last season. The Steelers have given no indication they are willing to pay any coach an $8 million salary.

Cowher is the NFL’s longest-tenured coach with his current team; Tennessee’s Jeff Fisher, with 13 seasons, is second. Cowher, a former Pittsburgh-area high school player, is third among active coaches in regular-season victories with a 149-90-1 record, and fourth overall with a 161-99-1 record counting postseason games.

When Cowher was hired in January 1992 at age 34, he said his only goal was to put a fifth Super Bowl trophy inside the Steelers’ trophy case at Three Rivers Stadium. It took him 14 years and two Steelers stadiums to do so, but he finally managed it.

If he wants to return to a sideline immediately, with another team and at a much higher salary, that team would have to work out compensation with the Steelers because Cowher is under contract for 2007. But several players said they were certain that if Cowher didn’t coach the Steelers next season, he would not coach any team.

“After careful and deliberate consideration I’ve decided to resign today,” Cowher said. “I’ve given it a lot of thought and believe it’s in the best interests of my family and myself at this time.”

Cowher, who grew up in Crafton, said coaching in the NFL and winning the Super Bowl had always been a dream.

“To be able to do that and realize that in the city I was born and raised in — this Crafton boy lived a dream.”

He also thanked the Steelers fans for their their passion and support.

“You can take the people out of Pittsburgh, but you can’t take Pittsburgh out of people.”

He said he had no immediate plans, including no immediate plans to work for TV, and looked forward to spending time with his family at their new home in Raleigh, N.C.

“I don’t have any preconcived thoughts and there’s something refreshing about that,” Cowher said.

He noted that his parents and brothers still live in the Pittsburgh area and that he plans to maintain ties, including his and his wife’s work with the Family Resources, a non-profit group that provides child abuse prevention and treatment services.

Decision Coming Today

Bill Cowher, who led the Steelers to 10 playoff appearances, eight division titles and the fifth Super Bowl title in franchise history, will announce his resignation today after 15 seasons as head coach, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting.

Cowher and his wife, Kaye, are scheduled to fly to Pittsburgh this morning to attend a 1 p.m. news conference at the team’s South Side facility and announce the decision that has been expected for several weeks, if not longer — that he will resign, at age 49, to spend more time with his family.

“You’ll be hearing from me soon enough,” Cowher said last night from his home in Raleigh, N.C., where he has spent the past three days. He declined any further comment.

Cowher had planned to return to town and make the announcement Monday. But he called team chairman Dan Rooney — the man who hired him to replace Chuck Noll in 1992 — yesterday afternoon to tell him he wasn’t going to change his mind and there was no point in delaying the announcement any longer.

Cowher has one year remaining on a contract that paid him between $4.5 million and $4.7 million this season. He said last week he still loves to coach and is not “burned out” from being the longest tenured head coach in the National Football League. He wants to take at least a one-year break from coaching and is not thinking about joining any other team in 2007, whether in the NFL or college football, sources said.

Those same sources also have said Cowher’s decision to retire has nothing to do with money and that he is committed to spending the next year with his wife, Kaye, and youngest daughter, Lindsay, in Raleigh.

But those who know Cowher wonder how long he will stay in “retirement” because he is an intense competitor who loves to coach. When his contract with the Steelers expires after 2007, he will be free to sign with another team, without compensation to the Steelers, and likely will attract offers that make him the highest-paid coach in the NFL.

Seattle’s Mike Holmgren is believed to be the league’s highest-paid coach, making $7 million this season and $8 million in 2007.

The Steelers immediately will begin the search to find his successor. Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, one of the leading candidates to replace Cowher, interviewed yesterday with the Atlanta Falcons and owner Arthur Blank. Offensive line coach Russ Grimm, who is also the team’s assistant head coach, is scheduled to interview with the Falcons next week.

The job is attractive to Whisenhunt because he is from Augusta, Ga., played at Georgia Tech and spent four seasons as a tight end with the Falcons. Whisenhunt is also scheduled to interview with the Arizona Cardinals.

Cowher’s decision does not come as a surprise because speculation about his future has existed since it was learned in March that he and his wife had purchased a $2.5 million home in Raleigh. The speculation was fueled more when the Steelers announced during training camp they would discontinue negotiations and would not discuss a contract extension with Cowher until after the season — a discussion that never had to take place.

Cowher’s wife and youngest daughter, Lindsay, have been living in Raleigh since late summer because their daughter wanted to play basketball in North Carolina this year. Like he did with his other two daughters, Meagan and Lauren, who are enrolled at Princeton, Cowher has a desire to spend as much time as possible with Lindsay, 15, while she is in high school.

Sometime after the Steelers won Super Bowl XL, Cowher revealed to some in the organization he was entertaining thoughts of retiring. But those sentiments were heightened when he turned down a contract extension he was offered by team president Art Rooney II, a deal that apparently would have paid Cowher between $6 million and $6.5 million annually in the final years of the contract, according to several people with knowledge of the situation.

Nearly three years ago, Cowher talked about coaching nearly forever. He said he didn’t even want to think about stepping down at least until Lindsay graduated from high school. But, he changed his mind quickly in the past year or two.

Cowher, perhaps let on more of his growing feeling about resigning at the NFL meetings in Orlando, Fla., in March.

Asked how long he might coach, Cowher said he wasn’t sure. “We tried to just take it one year at a time, and I think at the end of each year you have to sit back and reassess where you are and just make sure you still have the passion for doing it. That’s the most important thing.

“You want to be fair to the football team to make sure I can make the fullest commitment to giving everything I have.”

In his 15 seasons, Cowher has compiled a 161-99-1, including playoff games. Under his stewardship, the Steelers have won eight division titles, earned 10 playoff berths, advanced to the conference championship game six times, appeared in two Super Bowl games and won one.                 

Cowher’s Decision to Come Monday

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that Bill Cowher will return to Pittsburgh and make an announcement about his future Monday, on the future of his time in the Steel City. 

Fans, players and even the Rooney’s are expecting Cowher to resign from the job that he has held for 15 years. 

No press conference has been scheduled by the Steelers, but Cowher has told several people he will come back from Raleigh, N.C. and announce his decision Monday.

Cowher drove to Raleigh Tuesday after meeting with team chairman Dan Rooney and president Art Rooney II. He has one year remaining on his contract, but he has told friends and associates he wants to spend more time with his family.

In the meantime, offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, one of the leading candidates to replace Cowher, interviewed this morning with the Atlanta Falcons and owner Arthur Blank.  Also later in the week Russ Grim is scheduled to interview for the vacant Arizona Cardinals job.