Haley: Steelers scheme will be built to succeed, score
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Todd Haley: "If you are sensitive, this is ... not the best place to be."
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Todd Haley wasted little time assuring everyone that the Steelers offense he will run will do whatever is necessary to win.
If that means throwing the ball like he did when he was the offensive coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals, fine. If that means running the ball like he did in 2 1/2 seasons as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, that's fine, too.
But, after saying there is "a lot of carry over" and similar terminology from the offense Bruce Arians ran, Haley made it clear at his introductory news conference Thursday that he is not merely taking the wheel and letting the Steelers offense operate the way it has been accustomed.
"We're going to start with a clean slate and what gives us the best possible chance to succeed and score a lot of points," Haley said.
PG VIDEOAnd Haley, 44, does not seem the least bit worried about working with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who had a close relationship with Arians and was upset when Arians' contract was not renewed. Nor is Haley concerned the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback might be resistant to some of the changes in the offense.
Haley, who grew up in Upper St. Clair, has been at the Steelers facility since Monday, when his hiring was announced. But he still has not met with Roethlisberger, even though Roethlisberger was in the building nearly right up to the time of Haley's noon news conference.
"Transition will always be, I don't want to say difficult, because I don't know how we could determine that right now; it's just starting," Haley said. "There is an uncomfortable aspect to newness, but that's not always a bad thing. I think it will be a great thing in this case. I am sure [Roethlisberger] will figure out we are trying to make him as good as he can possibly be. Not many players that I know of have ever had an issue with that."
Haley and former Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell were the only known candidates to visit the Steelers and interview for the position.
First Published February 10, 2012 12:00 am
