Just a couple of days after Bruce Arians’ retirement, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has learned that Arians was told the team would not be renewing his contract and then decided to retire. Arians had told several members of the staff that he was planning on returning for 2012 and head coach Mike Tomlin wanted him to return as well.
It seems, according to the P-G, that people higher up than Tomlin made the decision not to bring him back, like team president Art Rooney II:
According to sources inside and outside the organization, Tomlin had told Arians on several occasions since the end of the season that he wanted him to return in 2012 — once even telling him in front of other coaches. And Arians had told other people, including his assistants, he intended to return in 2012.
But, earlier this week, after he returned to his offseason home in Greensboro, Ga., Arians was told his one-year contract would not be renewed — a decision that appeared to come from someone higher than Tomlin, sources said.
The Steelers’ ownership has expressed in recent offseasons that they would like to run the ball more, something that Arians didn’t seem to be on board with.
A strange turn, indeed.
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