The Steelers will have several changes on their defensive coaching staff next season, but one of them will not be linebackers coach Keith Butler.

Butler, 52, will return for his eighth season with the Steelers after turning down the Miami Dolphins' offer to become their defensive coordinator. He is considered the person most likely to become the Steelers' defensive coordinator whenever Dick Le-Beau retires.

Butler considered joining the Dolphins because he worked for two years in Cleveland with Dolphins coach Tony Sparano (1999-2000).

The Steelers already lost one person from their defensive coaching staff when assistant Lou Spanos left after 15 seasons to become the linebackers' coach for the Washington Redskins.

And they probably will lose another in secondary coach Ray Horton, whose status with the team remains unclear. He is pursuing other coaching jobs, including the defensive coordinator position at the University of Houston.

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