Steelers must address O-line, draft

Transcription

1 Brown: Steelers must address O-line, draft - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 3 Steelers must address O-line, draft By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, January 13, 2008 It will be unusually quiet this week at the Steelers' South Side practice facility, as the coaches are on vacation. When they return from a brief respite after a grinding stretch -- one that started with high hopes in late July and ended with a deflating playoff loss more than five months later -- their focus will be squarely on next season. And specifically what the Steelers have to do to go from a team that was good enough to win 10 games and a division title to one that is good enough to contend for a Super Bowl title. "I won't take what happened from a positive standpoint for granted," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said last week. "(But) the '08 team will be just as different from '07 as '07 was from '06." Indeed, there will be significant personnel changes, since guard Alan Faneca, a seven-time Pro Bowler, will almost certainly sign somewhere else in March when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Offensive tackle Max Starks could follow Faneca out of Pittsburgh, since he will be an unrestricted free agent, too. The Steelers would have had to address their offensive line during the offseason even if they weren't facing Faneca's imminent departure. Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 53 times in 16 starts last season, including the postseason. Considering the financial investment Steelers figure to make in him some time before the start of the 2008 season, they need to do a better job of protecting their Pro Bowl quarterback. Tomlin conceded that the Steelers need help on the offensive and defensive lines and also need to get younger in both areas. The Steelers finished first in the NFL during the regular season in total defense, but they were not a dominant group, especially after they lost defensive end Aaron Smith to a season-ending arm injury in early December. "I thought they struggled late in the season," ESPN "Monday Night Football" analyst Ron Jaworski said. "I don't think defensively they were as stout against the run, which has always been kind of a hallmark of the Pittsburgh Steelers."

2 Brown: Steelers must address O-line, draft - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 3 Another hallmark of the Steelers has been building from within. That is why they are not expected to be very active during the free-agent signing period that starts March 1, even though the Steelers are believed to have significant room under the salary cap. "We like to do things our way," Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said. "We believe that if we bring a player up and bring him through our system, being in this organization, having the coaches train them the way we want, that that's the way you develop a team." Not that the Steelers have shunned free agency since the current system was instituted in Notable signings include center Jeff Hartings (2001) and inside linebacker James Farrior (2002), but the Steelers have never gone for splashy signings. "Will we take a guy in free agency? Sure," Rooney said. "But we don't believe in going out and acting like you're an expansion team, signing 20 guys that way." The Steelers might target a guard, one who would come considerably cheaper than Faneca, during the free-agent signing period, especially since that position is not considered strong in this year's NFL draft. Rob Rang, a senior draft analyst for NFLdraftscout.com, said it is a good year for teams looking for offensive tackles, since as many as five, including Pitt's Jeff Otah, could be taken in the first round. If the Steelers take an offensive tackle with their first-round pick (No. 24 overall), they might move right tackle Willie Colon to guard or even try him at center. The Steelers also might consider trying right guard Kendall Simmons at center, given the struggles of Sean Mahan, their only significant free-agent signing last year. If the Steelers take an offensive lineman among their first two picks in the draft, Rang said, Arizona State center Mike Pollak could be a good fit. The 6-foot-4, 292-pounder's draft stock has "skyrocketed" this season, Rang said, and he could be a second-round pick. "Very physical and knows how to play with technique," Rang said of Pollak. "He's the kind of guy that Pittsburgh in the past may consider." If the Steelers are looking for immediate contributions from the players they take in April's draft, they also will be looking for more help from the players they took in last year's draft. They didn't get much out of first-rounder Lawrence Timmons, in part because a groin injury limited the linebacker during offseason practices and a significant

3 Brown: Steelers must address O-line, draft - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 3 of 3 portion of training camp. Timmons, who was stuck behind Pro Bowler James Harrison at right outside linebacker, has been moved inside, and he'll compete with Larry Foote for playing time at the "mack" position next season. Second-round pick LaMarr Woodley thrived at the end of the season, and his emergence is why the Steelers most likely won't bring back Clark Haggans at left outside linebacker. Tomlin made it clear last week that the growth of the Steelers' most recent draft class will play a significant role in shaping what happens in "This entire draft class has to get better," Tomlin said. "They've got to be men on the rise and they've got to be poster boys for this offseason program. That's some of the things that I talked to those guys about when I met with them. Time will tell." Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

4 Steelers need to shake up coaching staff - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 Steelers need to shake up coaching staff Sunday, January 13, 2008 After reflecting on the Steelers season, it's evident that Ben Roethlisberger is a mediocre quarterback at best. Maybe he'll learn when to throw the ball instead of holding it too long and ending up taking a sack or throwing an interception. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and special teams coach Bob Ligashesky were 2-14 when they had similar coaching jobs in Cleveland. Great credentials. The Steelers' special teams play reflects Ligashesky's guidance. Arians' playcalling also left a lot to be desired. Some of the red-zone plays Arians called were inappropriate, and when it came time to kill the clock to maintain a lead and win a game, he had no game plan at all. Along with these mistakes, coach Mike Tomlin had served one season as the defensive coordinator for a losing team -- the Minnesota Vikings -- and the only reason he was selected to coach the Steelers was because he accepted a lower salary. The Rooneys saved millions of dollars when they hired him. It was quite evident this year that they got what they paid for. There are a lot of good players on this team who deserved better, not to mention the fans who who were again disappointed. Steelers fans have a year to recover and hope the Steelers' shortcomings will go away. That won't happen if the Rooneys keep their current braintrust. Vince Oddo Greensburg Blown call How dare Mike Prisuta criticize the officiating in the Steelers-Jaguars game, yet omit a pass interference call on the Jaguars when the Steelers had a fourthand-goal at the 1-yard line that resulted in an automatic first down. A Jaguars' player's facemask was being held by Hines Ward. This was so clear that the announcers on the broadcast, a non-biased broadcast crew, identified it. Omitting obvious information that runs counter to one's beliefs is nothing more than pure politics and is not sports reporting. John B. Bloom Elrama

5 .: Print Version :. Page 1 of 2 Mehno Column: Steelers have four major concerns By John Mehno, Times Sports Correspondent After six months and 17 games, the real work starts now for the Steelers. A one-and-done postseason doesn t make it, so there has to be improvement. The priorities are this simple: 1. Fix the offensive line. 2. Fix the special teams. 3. Get help at running back. 4. Fix the turf. Accomplish those and they should be fine in There are, of course, other concerns, but they re not as pressing. In a salary cap world, a team can t do everything it wants in a single off-season. Making the offensive line better would go a long way to protecting the sizable investment in Ben Roethlisberger, which figures to grow soon. Special teams can swing a game or two during the season. The Steelers have been as inept at covering kicks as they have been at returning them. That was never more frustratingly apparent than it was during last Saturday s playoff game against Jacksonville. The Steelers threw a significant opening punch by sustaining a long touchdown on their first possession. They immediately handed back the momentum by allowing a kickoff return to their own 1-yard line. The Steelers need help at running back, even if Willie Parker is back at full speed after breaking his leg. They also need to hedge against the possibility that Fast Willie won t be quite as fast as he was before the injury. Rich Goose Gossage, who was voted into the Hall of Fame last week, left the Pirates after one season (1977) because general manager Pete Peterson miscalculated his value. Manager Chuck Tanner, who had brought Gossage to the major leagues as a 20-year-old with the Chicago White Sox, went directly to owner Dan Galbreath and begged him to keep Gossage. Galbreath followed Peterson s advice. The Pirates did OK with Kent Tekulve helping them win the 1979 World Series, but they may have prevailed in other close races with Gossage. It wasn t a lack of money that led to Gossage s departure. One year after he left, the Pirates signed Dave Parker to a five-year contract that was then the biggest in baseball history. There s a tendency to think of Gossage as a more contemporary player because he pitched until 1994, but he came into the major leagues in That meant his career began in Roberto Clemente s last season, and didn t end until the second year of the Pirates current 15-season losing streak. Plans were announced last week for a 1,000-seat brew house restaurant on Pittsburgh s South Side.

6 .: Print Version :. Page 2 of 2 This comes two weeks after bar owners insisted that drinking in Allegheny County would be killed by a 10 percent tax on poured drinks. As conventional wisdom goes, that theory is as valid as the idea that a new ballpark would make the Pirates more competitive. Times Sports Correspondent John Mehno can be reached online at johnmehno@lycos.com.

7 .: Print Version :. Page 1 of 2 Rooney sets his sights on 2008 season By Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff At age 35, Mike Tomlin says he s already looking forward to next season. At 75, so is Dan Rooney. Rooney, the venerable owner/chairman of the Steelers, is like everyone else in the franchise. He s disappointed the Steelers didn t play this weekend in the Super Bowl tournament, but overall relatively pleased with the first year of the Tomlin era. Rooney s sentiments were evident in the aftermath of last week s wild-card loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars as he made his way around the Steelers locker room. One by one, he shook hands with each player, consoling them for the loss, but congratulating them for their roles in making the Steelers 75th anniversary season a success. Winning the Super Bowl is ultimate goal, but winning your division is your immediate goal once you go to training camp. And we did that, Rooney said in an exclusive interview with The Times. It was our first year with Mike as our coach, and all in all, I thought it was a very successful season. It was a fun time. But now, the Steelers turn their attention toward next year. And the first order of business for Rooney and his son, Art Rooney II, the team s president since 2002, is deciding on what to do with the playing surface at Heinz Field. Will they keep grass or will they switch to an artificial surface? Ever since the North Shore venue opened in 2001, there have been problems with the grass. That s because not only do the Steelers play there10 times each year not counting playoff games (two preseason and eight regular season games), the University of Pittsburgh s football team plays there as well. The Panthers played seven home games this past season. In addition, the Steelers allow some high school games to be played there, including the Pittsburgh City League championship and four WPIAL championships games. The Rooneys have already begun a study that will ultimately lead to a decision. There are whispers in the organization that if they do go artificial, it wouldn t be FieldTurf, which has been installed at nine NFL stadiums. There s word that the Steelers might prefer a surface called Sportstexe Momentum that s used at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore and the New Orleans Superdome. We ll look at that this week, Rooney said. But that doesn t mean we ll make the decision this week. We ve already started to get as much as information as we can. By no means has it already been settled. I hear people say, They re going to do this or They re going to do that. We re not there yet. It could be grass. The one thing we did find out that as far as the kind of (artificial) turf we might want, we re honing in on that. As the Rooneys study their playing surface options, Tomlin and his assistants and personnel director Kevin Colbert and his scouts are starting the process of putting together the roster for the 2008 season. They must decide which current players to keep, who they may attempt to sign during free agency, and what players to pick in the NFL Draft. Dan Rooney said that while the Steelers have had some success in free agency in the past starting inside linebacker James Farrior, for example there s no reason to believe they ll reverse their policy and become major players in the open market in March.

8 .: Print Version :. Page 2 of 2 We like to do things our way, Rooney said. The Steelers way has long been to build through the draft. Tomlin and Colbert will have plenty to say about who the Steelers pick. But so will the Rooneys. Remember, it was Dan Rooney who insisted the Steelers take quarterback Ben Roethlisberger four years ago with the 11th overall pick. In this year s draft, the Steelers will likely pick 24th. Overall, I think we had a wonderful, successful season, Rooney said. It was our 75th anniversary season, and we had a lot of events tied in with that. I thought it was great. Our (current) players really liked wearing the old-time throwback uniforms. Some of them even said that we should wear them all the time. And as far as dealing with Mike (Tomlin), it was excellent. He s really a good guy. He worked hard with the players, starting with camp where he established the kind of coach he was going to be. The players saw he meant business. He approached things the right way. Mike Bires can be reached online at mbires@timesonline.com.

9 .: Print Version :. Page 1 of 1 Hoke to hold camp in Raccoon By Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff PITTSBURGH In June, Steelers nose tackle Chris Hoke will be spending a lot of time at team headquarters for off-season training workouts. But he ll also spend two days in Beaver County helping young football players get better. The Chris Hoke 76 Football Camp will be held June at Raccoon Municipal Park. It s my first venture in doing something like this, and I m excited about it, said Hoke, a former Brigham Young University star who s been Casey Hampton s backup since This is something I ve always wanted to do. I ll be dealing with kids, trying to help them out with their football careers. It s also a chance for me to give something back to the community. While the camp is open to any young football player between the ages of 6 and 18, some proceeds will benefit the Potter-Raccoon Midget Football Association. Cost for the camp is $75 per player, although there is a $10 sibling discount for each additional brother and/or sister. There s also a team discount of $65 per player when eight or more players from the same team sign up. Although the camp staff has yet to be finalized, Hoke said he ll definitely have some of his Steelers teammates serving as instructors. The camp will include instruction in all phases of football. Each camper will receive two camp T-shirts, a mouthpiece, lunch and beverages. For more information, call Registration forms are also available online at

10 For the Steelers, it was easy as A, B, C Page 1 of 5 For the Steelers, it was easy as A, B, C By F. Dale Lolley Staff writer dlolley@observer-reporter.com Mike Tomlin's first season as head coach of the Steelers is in the books. Tomlin had many successes and failures after taking over for Bill Cowher, but he did something Cowher failed to do in his final two seasons - win an AFC North Division championship. The Steelers, however, fell off after a 7-2 start, stumbling to a 10-6 finish. Here's a position-by-position look and grades for each: Quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger set team records with 32 touchdown passes and a passer rating, ranking second in the AFC behind only Tom Brady in both statistics. He also cut his interceptions from a careerhigh 23 in 2006 to 11. Roethlisberger took a big step in his fourth season and, at age 25, is poised for bigger and better things. The only downside was the 47 sacks against him, about one-third of which can be attributed to Roethlisberger holding the ball too long. The Steelers will work hard this offseason on a contract extension that will keep Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh for years. Backup Charlie Batch is a serviceable player and could start for some teams, but at 33 he's nearing the end of his career and the team needs to bring in a young quarterback who can learn under Roethlisberger. Grade: A- Running backs Willie Parker was leading the league in rushing when he suffered a broken leg in the 15th game at St. Louis. Parker's long run of the season was only 32 yards. Still, Parker matured as a runner. There were fewer runs that resulted in losses as Parker willingly lowered his shoulder and ran between the tackles. But is that the best use for a home-run hitter like Parker? That's something the Steelers must decide in the offseason. Parker is expected to be back at full strength for mini-camp. He must learn to balance his inside running with bouncing it outside.

11 For the Steelers, it was easy as A, B, C Page 2 of 5 Backup Najeh Davenport showed flashes but still runs too high to be an effective short-yardage back. He led the team with five rushing touchdowns and set career highs in carries (107) and yards (499). Fullback Carey Davis did a credible job as a blocker and showed some pop as a runner. He's also a decent receiver and solid special teams player. The Steelers liked what they saw from rookie Gary Russell and are intrigued by his potential. Veteran fullback Dan Kreider was sharing the position with Davis before a season-ending knee injury. Kreider is an unrestricted free agent and the Steelers might try to bring him back at a bargain price. He's starting to break down at this point in his career. Overall, the running game was not as dominant as in past seasons and produced only nine touchdowns. The team could use a better complementary runner to Parker, some one who can double as a kick returner. Grade B Wide receivers Starters Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes each missed time with injuries but produced solid numbers. Ward had 71 catches for 732 yards and seven touchdowns, despite missing two games because of a knee injury that required surgery at the end of the season. Ward isn't a deep threat but he's a savvy veteran who runs great routes, blocks and catches nearly everything - though he dropped a few more passes than in previous seasons. Holmes is an emerging star. He caught 52 passes for 942 yards and a team-best eight touchdowns, despite missing three games with ankle problems. His 18.1 yards-per-catch average led all AFC receivers with 25 or more receptions. Entering his third season, Holmes is poised to become an elite receiver. No. 3 receiver Nate Washington is a restricted free agent. He got hot after a slow start and finished with 29 catches and five touchdowns. His inconsistency is a problem. Cedrick Wilson had 18 catches and one touchdown. He doesn't have a defined role. Second-year pro Willie Reid had only four catches and does not have the same elusiveness as he did in college. He also struggled as a kick returner and 2008 will be an important camp for him. Grade B- Tight ends Heath Miller set career highs in catches (47), yards (566) and touchdowns (seven) but his blocking was not as good. Miller is still a decent blocker. Perhaps not doing it as often had an effect. Rookie Matt Spaeth improved as a blocker as the season progressed and supplanted Jerame Tuman as the second tight end even before Tuman was placed on injured reserve with a back problem. Spaeth caught five passes, but three went for touchdowns. He could be a bigger part of the offense in 2008.

12 For the Steelers, it was easy as A, B, C Page 3 of 5 Tuman may be at the end of his career. He has one season remaining on his contract. Grade B Offensive line Not all the sack problems in 2007 were because of difficulties on the offensive line, but a large portion was. Left tackle Marvel Smith missed significant time for the third time in the past six seasons because of a back problem that required surgery. There are questions about Smith, who at 30 will be heading into the final season of his contract. Guard Alan Faneca is the Steelers' most significant unrestricted free agent. They will make one final push to re-sign him. Faneca has never been a great pass blocker, but he pulls better than any guard in the league. Part of the problem with his pass blocking was that center Sean Mahan struggled. Mahan, the big offseason signing last year, was a flop. Mahan is too light to hold the point of attack, particularly when a defensive tackle is lined up over him. Mahan is a solid backup, capable of playing guard or center. Right guard Kendall Simmons had a good year and got better after signing a contract extension early in the season. He was the backup center but is not considered a long-term solution at that position. Right tackle Willie Colon struggled at times in his first season as a starter. Some in the organization believe he's better suited to play guard. A move there is possible next season. Max Starks, the starting right tackle in 2005 and '06, lost that job to Colon in training camp. He didn't sulk and provided solid play both as a backup tight end and at left tackle. Starks will be an unrestricted free agent, though Pittsburgh wants to bring him back. If there is no guarantee of a starting job, then he'll leave. Third-year guard Chris Kemoeatu lost a battle with Simmons in training camp and needs to spend the offseason emersing himself in the playbook if he wants to become a starter. Trai Essex showed some good things stepping in when Smith and Starks were injured. That might save his job. He'll be a restricted free agent and the Steelers will bring him back. Rookie center Darnell Stapleton stuck around on the roster. He could win the starting job next year. Upgrading the line will be a priority in this offseason. Grade C- Defensive line This unit was playing well until end Aaron Smith suffered a season-ending biceps injury in early December. After that, the lack of depth was exposed. Smith was having another outstanding season before the injury. The loss proved just how valuable Smith is to the team.

13 For the Steelers, it was easy as A, B, C Page 4 of 5 Nose tackle Casey Hampton's weight ballooned and he wasn't the force he had been in previous years. Hampton is listed at 325 pounds, but was closer to 350. Brett Keisel didn't have the breakout season that was predicted, though he did lead the team with eight quarterback hurries and 23 pressures. Those aren't sacks, though, and Keisel needs to be more productive, particularly because he's not as strong against the run as Hampton and Smith. With backups Travis Kirschke, Chris Hoke and Nick Eason, the team needs to improve its depth. Grade B- Linebackers James Harrison not only replaced Joey Porter at right outside linebacker, he played better than Porter had in years, being named second-team All-Pro, earning a Pro Bowl start and winning team MVP honors. He had a team-high 8 1/2 sacks with six forced fumbles and an interception. With only four sacks, Clark Haggans had one of the least productive seasons for an outside linebacker in recent Steelers history. He's an unrestricted free agent and won't be back, opening a job for talented rookie LaMarr Woodley. Woodley had four sacks in limited playing time and had two more in the playoff loss to Jacksonville. He and Harrison could each approach double digits in sacks next season. Inside, James Farrior had another solid season, leading the team with 111 tackles and registering a career-best six sacks. Farrior is 33, so his best days are in the past. Larry Foote had an up-and-down season. He was third in tackles but can get engulfed at times by blockers. He'll be pushed next season in by first-round pick Lawrence Timmons. Timmons had an mediocre first season, recording 12 special-teams tackles and two more on defense. This will be a big offseason for the youngster, particularly since he missed offseason workouts and part of training camp last year with a groin injury. Clint Kriewaldt, Arnold Harrison, Andre Frazier and Marquise Cooper are special teams players, and given the play of that unit, could be looking for work next season. Grade B Secondary After falling out of favor with Cowher in 2006, cornerback Ike Taylor responded with a good season. He was second on the team with 90 tackles - not always a good measurement for defensive backs - and tied for the lead with three interceptions. Taylor could have had seven or eight interceptions if he could hold onto the ball, but that was a problem for the defense, which produced a league-low 11 interceptions. Deshea Townsend started opposite Taylor and had a strong season. Townsend will be 33 and can't be counted on forever. He could be replaced by Bryant McFadden. Rookie William Gay took over the No. 4 cornerback spot and showed some talent in the preseason.

14 For the Steelers, it was easy as A, B, C Page 5 of 5 At safety, Troy Polamalu, who suffered rib and knee injuries, missed four games. He was fifth on the team with 74 tackles. The Steelers need more big plays out of Polamalu if the defense is to be dominant. Ryan Clark began the season at free safety, but a spleen problem brought on by playing at high altitudes in Denver ended his season. He should be back in Anthony Smith and Tyrone Carter split time as Clark's replacement. Smith is a big hitter and has coverage skills, but the coaching staff benched him when opponents figured out he was susceptible to play-action fakes. Carter is a capable backup and a smart player. As a starter, he was exposed as being too slow and too small. Grade C Special teams Kicker Jeff Reed had one of his best seasons, converting 23 of 25 field goals, and both misses came from more than 52 yards. His kickoffs were stronger. Rookie punter Daniel Sepulveda had 28 kicks downed inside the 20-yard line and only two touchbacks. He was inconsistent, particularly late in the season when the weather turned bad. The Steelers got nothing out of their return game as Allen Rossum proved to be ineffective as a punt returner. An upgrade is a must. The coverage units were mediocre, at best. Grade C- Coaching Tomlin did a credible job in leading the Steelers to an AFC North title when most picked them to finish third. He also made some critical mistakes, most notably in the playoff loss to Jacksonville. Tomlin did not fare well in his coaching challenges, winning only two of seven. He should get better with experience. Despite significant injuries, the defense ranked first in the NFL under coordinator Dick LeBeau. He'll be back in 2008 for what will be his 50th - and possibly last - year in the NFL. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians' offense was different than what many were used to in Pittsburgh. More responsibility was given to Roethlisberger, who responded with his best season, and for that Arians has to receive credit. Grade B Copyright Observer Publishing Co.

15 Rooney Rule slowly fading Page 1 of 3 Rooney Rule slowly fading Click-2-Listen By TIM GRAHAM Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Sunday, January 13, 2008 From the moment discussions began, critics railed against the idea. What Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney advocated for the NFL, the detractors claimed, was a divisive social issue - affirmative action. Your Dolphins source Schwartz should leave dizzying impression If the Dolphins coaching search really is wide open, and not a matter of when Tony Sparano... See more blog entries Troubled by the league's poor track record of diversity on the sidelines, Rooney looked for ways to shake up the cozy old boys' network that recycled the same white coaches and their homogenous understudies. Rooney wanted teams to interview at least one minority candidate for every head-coaching vacancy. His vision was met with resistance, but he lobbied until the NFL in 2002 adopted the practice of what is now known as the Rooney Rule. Many still resent the rule. Some say it's patronizing, a waste of time for black coaches who won't be hired. Others say it's unfair to some white coaches. And after five years in existence, the Rooney Rule might finally fade away, not because the mandate has been proven a farce, but because it has worked so well. Dolphins chat Submit your questions for Post reporter Edgar Thompson. Schedule, game photos "I think there will come a time when it will be unnecessary to have a Rooney Rule," Rooney said this week from his Pittsburgh office. The Rooney Rule has been a topic on South Florida talk shows, on Internet message boards and at the local gin mills since Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier interviewed for the Dolphins' head-coaching vacancy last week.

16 Rooney Rule slowly fading Page 2 of 3 Latest news Check headlines, photos, video and Web exclusives. RSS feeds Frazier came to Davie though many pundits already had given the job to Dallas Cowboys assistant Tony Sparano. The Dolphins have never had a black head coach, but within the past 18 years, 15 of the NFL's 32 clubs have had at least one. your cell. 'Fins Flash: Sign up for free Miami Dolphins news sent to NFL Blogs from the Web The NBA Draft is Coming. Does the Big Blue Nation Care? From A Sea Of Blue The Child Abuse Called College Sports From Britannica Blog - Education Reviewing the Randy Moss, Darrell Jackson and Deion Branch Trades From DraftHistory.com Quinn vs. Beck: By the numbers From Realfootball365.com Why Brady is Right for the Browns - He Shines in the Face of Adversity From NFL GridIron Gab When the Los Angeles Raiders made Art Shell the first black head coach in the modern NFL in 1989, it generated widespread attention. Although progress was slow - white candidates filled all 11 openings in there have been enough black head coaches that it's no longer a monumental occurrence when another gets hired. And that's the goal. "You hope we're gradually getting to that point," Frazier said. "It seems race still matters to a degree, but things are improving and the numbers say so." The NFL set a record in 2006 with seven black head coaches. Two faced off in the Super Bowl for the first time. A couple of the names changed, but there were seven again this year, including Atlanta Falcons interim coach Emmitt Thomas. There are six black head coaches now, with four openings: the Dolphins, Falcons, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins. When the Steelers replaced Bill Cowher last year, the commotion related more to the fact Mike Tomlin was a couple months shy of his 35th birthday than him becoming the first black coach in Steelers history. Dr. Harry Edwards, the activist behind the Black Power salute at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, has closely monitored NFL diversity. He works as a consultant for the San Francisco 49ers and authored the books The Revolt of the Black Athlete and The Struggle That Must Be. More in Sports Get the latest news, photos and more for S. Fla. teams. Share This Story digg del.icio.us Fark Newsvine reddit Technorati Facebook More "The Rooney Rule," Edwards said, "was instituted as a prod for granting access that traditionally has been blocked, not always because of racism but because of limited vision. "It simply never crossed people's minds 'Hey, there might be a Latino, an African-American, a woman who can function in an NFL front office position.' The Rooney Rule opens that whole spectrum of vision for the entire league." The spirit of the Rooney Rule has stirred diversity throughout NFL front offices. Four general managers are black, as are two vice presidents of player personnel and the league's executive VP of football operations. "You change the character of the dialogue in the franchise and the league when you have representative numbers," Edwards said. "Otherwise, you end up with such a cultural abyss. You have Lawrence Welk and Pat Boone

17 Rooney Rule slowly fading Page 3 of 3 speaking to Snoop Dogg and Ludacris about what makes good music." What are these? The Rooney Rule works on multiple levels. Because the NFL largely is a copy-cat league, once a candidate interviews for a coaching vacancy, other clubs become interested. Plus, mere exposure to the hiring process gives any candidate a better chance to be better prepared for a second or third interview. But the most dramatic examples of the Rooney Rule's effectiveness are with Tomlin and Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, said John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance. The organization, named for the NFL's first head coach in 1921, promotes diversity in coaching and frontoffice hires. Wooten said neither Tomlin nor Lewis was expected to get hired until pulling off an amazing interview. Rooney refutes the widespread perception Tomlin was an obligatory interview - the Steelers already had interviewed Ron Rivera, who would have satisfied the requirement. The big front-runners for the job were Russ Grimm and Ken Whisenhunt. But Tomlin was given a chance, and used it to dazzle the Steelers' brass. "We, as a people, all you want is an opportunity," Wooten said. "X's and O's are pretty much the same anywhere. Everybody's learning the same things. "It's about giving an equal opportunity to go in and show what you can do." The Detroit Lions are the only team to have flouted the Rooney Rule. Lions General Manager Matt Millen was fined $200,000 for hiring Steve Mariucci in 2003 without first interviewing a minority. "At the end of it all," Edwards said, "what you can say is the NFL is not everything it ought to be, maybe in terms if the situation in Miami, where a deal more or less has already been made. "But it sure isn't what it was, and that is progress." Find this article at: Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article.