Steelers Promote Two
Coaches, Add Six New Members to Staff
PITTSBURGH
— The Steelers announced today that
the team has promoted two coaches and made several additions to its coaching
staff, effective immediately.
The Steelers announced that Bruce Arians has been promoted to
offensive coordinator after spending the past three seasons (2004-06) coaching
the team's receivers. Arians, who has been coaching in the NFL or at the
collegiate level since 1975, was previously an offensive coordinator with the
Cleveland Browns (2001-03), Alabama (1997) and MississippiState (1993-95). He was the head coach at
Temple from 1983-88.
The team announced another promotion within their
current coaching staff when they named Ray Horton
defensive backs coach. Horton had spent the past three seasons (2004-06) as the
Steelers' assistant defensive backs coach. Prior to joining the Steelers, Horton
was the defensive backs coach for the Cincinnati Bengals (1997-01) and Detroit
Lions (2002-03).
Six new coaches have joined the Steelers' staff
including Ken Anderson
(quarterbacks), Randy Fichtner (wide
receivers), Bob Ligashesky (special
teams), Kirby Wilson (running
backs), Larry Zierlein (offensive
line) and Amos Jones (assistant special teams).
"I think we have put together a staff of good people who
are also good football coaches," said Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin. "They are all good communicators who will
help make sure our players understand exactly what is expected of them. I look
forward to working with them all on a daily basis."
Anderson, 57, enjoyed a 16-year playing career at quarterback
with the Cincinnati Bengals (1971-86). He joined
Cincinnati's coaching staff in 1993 and spent 10 seasons as the
team's quarterbacks coach (1993-95, 2001-02) and offensive coordinator
(1996-00). Anderson joined the Jacksonville Jaguars' coaching staff in 2003, where
he coached the team's quarterbacks for four seasons (2003 and 2005-06) and
also coached wide receivers in 2004.
Fichtner, 43, spent the last six seasons (2001-06) as
offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at the
Memphis, where he had also previously coached from 1990-93.
Prior to joining Memphis for the second time, Fichtner was the offensive
coordinator at ArkansasState (1997-00) and the wide receivers coach at his alma
mater Purdue (1994-96). He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at
Purdue (1985-86) and Michigan (1986-87), before joining Southern California as a volunteer coach in 1988. In
1989, Fichtner earned his first full-time coaching position when he coached
tight ends at UNLV.
Ligashesky (lig-a-SHES-kee), 44, is a
Pittsburgh native who is entering his 23rd season as a
coach and his fourth in the NFL. He was the St. Louis Rams' special teams coach
from 2005-06 after entering the NFL in 2004 as assistant special teams coach for
the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ligashesky spent 19 years coaching collegiately, most
recently at Pitt, where he was the tight ends/special teams coordinator
(2000-03). He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at
WakeForest (1986) and ArizonaState (1986-88). Ligashesky then coached linebackers/special
teams at KentState (1989-90) and Bowling Green (1991-98) before also assuming the role of assistant
head coach at Bowling
Green in 1999.
Wilson, 45, joins the Steelers with 19
years of coaching experience on the college and pro levels. He has coached
running backs for the Arizona Cardinals (2004-06), Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(2002-03), Washington Redskins (2000) and New England Patriots (1997-99). Wilson
began his coaching career in 1985 at Pasadena College where he coached wide
receivers, and has also coached at Los Angeles Southwest College (1989-90,
quarterbacks/wide receivers), Southern Illinois (1991-92, linebackers/passing
game coordinator), Wyoming (1993-94, secondary), Iowa State (1995-96, running
backs) and Southern California (2001, wide receivers).
Zierlein (ZEER-line), 61, spent 2006 as offensive line
coach of the Buffalo Bills after holding the same position with the Cleveland
Browns from 2001-04. He has also coached offensive lines on the collegiate level
at Cincinnati (1997-00), Tulane (1988-90, '95-96),
LouisianaState (1993-94) and Houston (1978-86). From 1997-92 he was the
offensive coordinator/line coach for the N.Y./N.J. Knights of the World League
of American Football (WLAF), and an assistant coach with the Washington
Commandos of the Arena League in 1987.
Jones, 47, most recently coached special teams/outside
linebackers at MississippiState (2004-06). Prior to joining the Bulldogs, Jones coached
tight ends/special teams at James Madison (2003) and running backs/special teams
at Cincinnati (1999-02). Jones began his coaching career as a
graduate assistant at his alma mater Alabama from 1981-82, and returned to the
Crimson Tide to coach special teams from 1990-91. He also coached tight ends
(1983-85) and defensive line (1986-88) at Temple, was the kicking game coordinator at Pitt (1992) and
coached linebackers at Tulane (1995-96). Jones spent 1997 coaching with the
British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and has also
worked in the high school ranks in Alabama (1989), Florida (1993-94) and Louisiana (1998).
The remainder of the Steelers coaching staff will
continue to work in their previous capacities, including defensive coordinator
Dick LeBeau, defensive line coach John Mitchell, linebackers coach Keith Butler, tight ends coach James Daniel, defensive assistant Lou Spanos and offensive assistant Matt Raich.
