Todd Haley reportedly to stay with Steelers
By Matt Shetler
It is no secret that Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator Todd Haley interviewed for the Arizona Cardinals head coaching vacancy last week.
Apparently he is happy with his role in Pittsburgh.
September 9 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley during the game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field. The Broncos defeated the Steelers 31-19. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, Haley set his asking price extremely high, which pretty much has taken him out of the running for the Cardinals job.
Haley has a nice relationship with Cardinals owner Mike Bidwill, going back to his days as the team’s offensive coordinator under Coach Ken Whisenhunt and being a former head coach with the Kansas City Chiefs; it looked initially like Haley would be a front runner for the Cardinals gig. But Dulac reports that Haley told Cardinals owner Bidwill what he wanted and what he needed to become their head coach. And he set the asking price very high.
If that seems a bit strange, it shouldn’t.
Haley is happy with his role in Pittsburgh and doesn’t want to leave unless the offer is too good to refuse, wrote Dulac. Haley grew up in Pittsburgh because his father, Dick Haley, was the Steelers’ long-time director of player personnel.
The Cardinals will likely name a new head coach soon and it likely won’t be Haley, but by sitting down with Arizona, he kept his name out there as a potential head coach.
In addition, if Haley’s second season in Pittsburgh goes much better than his first, he likely will be highly sought after for head coaching vacancies in 2014.
No one ever said he was stupid.
He knows that he is in a much better situation right now in Pittsburgh than he would be in Arizona. He knows he could potentially parlay future success into a much better opportunity.
If that doesn’t happen, there is nothing wrong working where you are happy.