Reports: Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coach Bruce Arians retired on team refusal to renew his deal
A couple of days after Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive assistant coach, Bruce Arians, parted ways with the team, which the management labelled as a retirement, reports have emerged indicating that he was forced to resign.
The team management had told the co-ordinator that they will not review his contract for next year and apparently it forced Arians to go for the only left option, which was announcing his retirement.
Reports have further indicated that the move was taken by the team management to snub their quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who was closer to the coach more than other players.
There is no word from Big Ben about the emergence of latest controversy around the departure of his offensive coach.
It is being reported that the move of Arians’ exit was not taken by the team’s head coach, Mike Tomlin, as it had come rather from the top. The person who is seen most likely to have taken the decision of releasing the assistant coach is described to be
team’s president, Art Rooney II.
Reports about the controversial departure of Bruce Arians come after the confirmation of his retirement in a statement from the head coach, who apparently had been unaware of the fact that the decision to retire of Bruce Arians was taken by someone other
the coach himself.
"Bruce Arians has informed me that he will retire from coaching. I appreciate his efforts over the past five years as the team's offensive coordinator and for helping lead our offense to new heights during his time with the Steelers. I am grateful to Bruce
for contributing to our success and wish him nothing but the best in his retirement", Tomlin said.
The head coach was reported to have informed Bruce Arians few days back that he was coming back to join his side at the training camp next season. It was also a talk among the assistant coaches before the so called statement on calling it quits from the
assistant coach.
Bruce himself has not spoken about the issue of his retirement since its announcement and emergence of controversial reports and rumours recently. The credibility of these latest reports also remains to be confirmed by the team management.
Arians in the meanwhile, is expected to be replaced by someone within the team. The club has a tradition of promoting their coaching staff to different and higher positions and the new offensive assistant coach is expected to be a result of a similar move.
Randy Fichtner, the quarterbacks’ co-ordinator at the team, is seen as a most likely replacement of Arians. The running backs assistant coach, Kirby Wilson, could have been another possibility if he had not been injured in a house fire few weeks ago.
The team management is yet to confirm their next move with regard to hiring of a new assistant coaching staff.
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