Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s sabbatical didn’t last long. LeBeau is reportedly joining Ken Whisenhunt’s Tennessee Titans staff as associate head coach and will help run the defense.
This does not spell the end for current Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton, who played and coached under LeBeau at Pittsburgh for 19 seasons. Presumably, LeBeau will assist the Titans under a different title. Horton ran a version of LeBeau’s 3-4 scheme with the Titans last season.
LeBeau and Whisenhunt both coached with the Steelers for six seasons before Whisenhunt left to become head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. LeBeau was in early talks to join current Cardinals coach Bruce Arians’ staff, but the 77-year-old Hall of Fame defensive back changed his mind, preferring to stay close to his home town near Cincinnati.
Just Tuesday, LeBeau was honored by the Pittsburgh City Council who named February “Dick LeBeau Month” in Pittsburgh. LeBeau was also given the key to the city.
Last season’s Titans defensive unit finished ranked No. 27 in the NFL. LeBeu was the defensive coordinator for the Steelers from 1995-1996 and 2004-2014, leading their defensive unit to four Super Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl wins. LeBeau was the 2008 Sporting News Coordinator of the Year.
LeBeau ran the Cincinnati Bengals defense from 1997-2000 and was the Bengals’ head coach from 2000-02.
Browns general Manager Ray Farmer in trouble for texting
The Cleveland Browns may find itself without draft pick, fined and with general manager Ray Farmer suspended after the NFL opened an investigation into possible playcall suggestion texts from the owner’s box to the sidelines during Browns games.
Texting is a violation of the NFL’s electronic communications guidelines. The texts first came to light when offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan resigned from the team. Reportedly, the texts concerned quarterback play, personnel choices and second-guessing playcalls. While the rule forbidding game-time texts was created to stop a team from getting a competitive advantage, it’s difficult to argue the Browns got anything out of the texts, other than running one of the brightest young offensive minds in football out of town.
While the original reports centered on owner Jimmy Haslam, the NFL’s probe is aimed at Farmer as the source of the texts. The Browns are the third team possibly facing offseason suspensions, fines and the loss of draft picks. The Atlanta Falcons are being investigated for piping in crowd noise during home games and the New England Patriots are being probed for using deflated footballs in the AFC Championship game.
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Trio of current NFL players arrested in separate incidents
The official offseason is barely three days old, but three NFL players have made news in the worst possible way.
Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle was arrested for pot possession in Wichita, Kansas Tuesday morning. Police were called to Randle’s hotel room over a domestic disturbance and found Randle, along with a 22-year-old unnamed woman, and marijuana. This is the second time Randle has had a brush with the law after being arrested for shoplifting in Frisco, Texas last October.
Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was also arrested for marijuana possession in Starke, Fla. Tuesday night. Guion is coming off a career-best season where he started all 16 games for the Packers, recorded 22 tackles and 3.5 sacks after spending his first five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.
Guion was negotiating a new contract to remain with the Packers, but this arrest will certainly halt those talkes. Guion played last year on a $1 million single-year contract.
D’Qwell Jackson may have been the man rumored to have blown open the New England Patriots DeflateGate investigation after an interception, but the Indianapolis Colts linebacker is in some trouble of his own after being arrested and charged with assault after getting into a fight over a parking space Tuesday night in Washington, D.C.
The Colts linebacker was angry that a pizza delivery driver stole his space and reportedly punched the driver in the face and back of the head.
Doug Baldwin to be $11,025 poorer after toilet-themed touchdown celebration
NBC cut away from Doug Baldwin pretending to be going to the bathroom and using the football as a prop after his touchdown catch in the Super Bowl, but the NFL still saw it and now Baldwin has to cough up over $11 grand for his fine.
The NFL isn’t being too hard on Baldwin’s embarrassing display. The $11,025 is the league-minimum. Baldwin was also flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on the play.
