The “to-do” list for Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II, general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin heading into the offseason is pretty extensive.
Finding a replacement for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is not on it.
Rooney said Tuesday he anticipates the two-time Super Bowl winner returning for a 14th season in 2017. Roethlisberger said last week he needed to evaluate things before committed to coming back to the AFC North champions. Rooney spoke to the franchise’s all-time passing leader and while Rooney would prefer to keep the specifics of the conversation private, he wasn’t alarmed by Roethlisberger mulling his future after the Steelers were blown out by New England in the AFC championship game.
“I think he’s at that stage in his career that those are thoughts I think you have,” Rooney said. “I personally expect that he’ll be back but that’s going to be his decision.”
Roethlisberger threw for 3,819 yards and 29 touchdowns in leading the Steelers to an 11-5 regular season before losing in the AFC championship game to the New England Patriots.
Bills, Smith part ways
The Buffalo Bills will not retain Kathryn Smith, the first full-time female assistant coach in the NFL.
Smith is one of 14 assistants who will not remain on new coach Sean McDermott’s staff, the Bills announced on Tuesday. McDermott was hired on Jan. 11 to replace Ryan, who was fired prior to the Bills’ season finale.
Defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman and defensive backs coach Ed Reed are also among the coaches McDermott will not bring back. Special teams coach Danny Crossman is the only on-field assistant from Ryan’s staff that McDermott has retained.
The move was fairly expected as new head coaches often bring in their own assistants, shifting away from those already in an organization.
Smith spent last season assisting Crossman as Buffalo’s special teams quality control coach after Ryan promoted her from administrative assistant.
Smith has 14 seasons of NFL experience. She began her career in 2003 as a game day/special events intern. Asyabahis Two years later, Ryan promoted Smith to become a college scouting intern, and she eventually became the team’s player personnel assistant in 2007.
A former three-sport high school athlete from suburban Syracuse, New York, Smith never anticipated she would one day be recognized for breaking a gender barrier in North America’s most popular sport.
“That’s not my focus,” Smith told The Associated Press last year. “I might be the first. But I don’t think I’ll be the only one for very long.”
Jets hire Morton
The New York Jets have hired New Orleans Saints wide receivers coach John Morton as their offensive coordinator.
Morton replaces Chan Gailey, who retired after the season following two years on coach Todd Bowles’ staff.
The team announced the hiring Tuesday, four weeks after the Jets finished a 5-11 season during which the offense struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness.
Morton, 47, spent the last two seasons coaching receivers on Sean Payton’s staff in New Orleans. He was in the same role in San Francisco from 2011-14. Morton also has experience coaching under Jim Harbaugh, Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, Norv Turner and Pete Carroll at the pro and college levels.
49ers sue Smith
The San Francisco 49ers are suing former star pass rusher Aldon Smith for more than $340,000 in signing bonus money.
According to the suit filed in U.S. District Court, Smith was obligated to re-pay the Niners for part of his signing bonus after being suspended nine games in 2014 for failing a drug test.
The suit says Smith has paid $844,396.82 of the $1,186,027 that he owed the team. The 49ers are seeking $341,630.18.
Smith was released by the Niners after an arrest in August 2015 and joined the Oakland Raiders. He was suspended in November 2015 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and is still seeking reinstatement.
Smith’s agent did not immediately return a request for comment.
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