Pittsburgh Steelers fire special teams coach Al Everest
By Matt Shetler
The first major casualty of Pittsburgh Steelers’ training camp wasn’t the release of a player, but instead the firing of special teams coach Al Everest.
Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported via Twitter that the Steelers have terminated Everest, whom they hired in 2010 after he was let go by the San Francisco 49ers.
Steelers have parted ways with special teams coach Al Everest.
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) August 23, 2012
The timing is very curious, just two weeks before the regular season begins. There’s no word yet on what transpired to result in Everest being canned, but this is highly unusual, as NFL coaching staff changes hardly ever happen in the middle of the preseason.
No matter who the special teams coach has been, the Steelers have long had problems covering kicks, but even if that were the major issue, it’s hard to think it would result in the firing of Everest only weeks before the Steelers open up the season in Denver.
No replacement has been named by the Steelers as of yet.