Mike Tomlin Fired Bruce Arians

 

Mike Tomlin has come out and has said that he fired Bruce Arians, not Art Rooney II. Not sure if I personally believe that. I think Mr. Rooney has fully intervened in the Steeler's football operations and made the decision to fire Bruce Arians as Offensive Coordinator.  Conspiracy theorists unite!


This is per the Post-Gazette:

"I thought that it was time for change," Tomlin said this morning, speaking about the subject publicly for the first time. "We're moving into a situation here where we have an opportunity to grow and develop some young talent offensively. It's awesome to have an opportunity to maybe have the division of some common opponents -- people who are comfortable with how you play football -- get uncomfortable. That's what's going to happen to us this year. We're excited about that.

Tomlin stated emphatically that both decisions were his, that neither came at the behest of Steelers president Art Rooney II.

"He didn't," Tomlin said of Rooney having influence in Arians leaving. "I don't know where some of these perceptions come from. I don't break my neck to try to combat them in any way. I don't know where they come from.

"And I hired Todd Haley as well, which is your next question, which is another funny one to me. And don't get me wrong, of course, Art Rooney owns the football team, he can do what he wants to do, but those directives did not happen."

I smell bullshit. Tomlin didn't fire Arians, or at least he didn't have the original idea to. The Steelers were tired of Arians airing it out and wanted a change. The Steelers wanted/needed a scapegoat and that made Arians the goat of all goats.

The Rooneys do not want a pass-first team which doesn't make sense considering that the entire NFL has remodeled itself  to be the allow teams to pass the ball so easily it's laughable. The Steelers also happen to have a franchise quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger who happens to be one of the best qbs in the league.

Yet the Rooneys want to go back decades and bring back "Smash-mouth football" also known as "Steelers football" by the local yinzers. Why would the Steelers change their entire philosophy in the middle of their franchise qb's career? Why would they be unhappy with a team that has made the playoffs four of the past five seasons, two Super Bowls, and a Super Bowl victory.


If Rooney is really calling the shots that's sad. It almost feels like he's trying to be a less outspoken Jerrry Jones, which isn't a good thing. Owners should be involved but at an but only to an extent. That's why you hire coaches and general managers to run the team for you. Sit in the press box or in Ireland and collect the money.

As for Tomlin, if he really did make the decision to fire Arians that's fine. But at some point he's going to deserve some blame. He made Arians the scapegoat but what if the offense struggles this year? What if the defense has another bad game in which they make no more adjustments? Does Dick LeBeau get fired next or is Tomlin ever going to accept responsibility.

Either way weird stuff going on in Steeler Nation. See yinz out there.