Keith Butler revealed Monday that Mike Tomlin didn't just call defensive plays throughout his time as the Steelers' defensive coordinator, he did so in the final seasons Dick LeBeau was the team's coordinator, as well.
Butler, who retired Saturday after seven seasons as coordinator, made an appearance on 93.7 The Fan Monday afternoon and said Tomlin has been calling the defensive plays for years.
“The last couple of years with Dick LeBeau, Mike was calling the plays, too,” said Butler. "It's something he wanted to do. It's something he had done. He wanted to do that here, and as the head coach, he should be able to do what he wants to do.
LeBeau stepped down as defensive coordinator following the 2014 season after being with the team in that capacity since 2004. It was his second stint as defensive coordinator. He also held the position in 1995 and 1996 under Bill Cowher before leaving for the same position with the Bengals.
The Steelers finished 2012 first in total defense and sixth in points allowed, but dipped to 13th in yards and 14 in points in 2013 as the stalwarts of the team's Super Bowl runs from 2005, 2008 and 2010 began to age and retire. In LeBeau's final season, they finished 18th in both categories.
The Steelers slipped to 21st in total defense, but improved to 11th in points allowed in 2015, then jumped to 12th in total defense and ninth in points in 2016.
From 2017 through 2020, the Steelers finished no lower than 6th in total defense and finished 7th or better in points allowed in three of those seasons.
But with injuries hitting the team hard on its defensive front in 2021, the Steelers slipped to 25th in yards allowed and 22nd in points. That included ranking dead last in the league in rushing yards allowed.
Despite that, the Steelers led the NFL in sacks for a fifth-consecutive season. Prior to the Steelers doing it, no team had ever led the NFL in sacks in more than two consecutive years.
Butler, 65, said he had been talked out of retiring after the 2020 season to give winning a third Super Bowl as a coach one more shot.
"As much as I wanted to be more involved in calling defenses and stuff, I wanted to do what was best for the team, what was best for our defense and what was best for our guys in terms of learning the defense," Butler said. "We had a lot to do with the game plan and things like that. Mike is the head coach and he can do what he wants to and should be able to do what he wants to as the head coach.
"He knew how I felt about it, but he's going to do what he thinks is best to win football games. That's the way he's always been."
Tomlin is expected to elevate senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Teryl Austin to replace Butler, but also has asked the Giants permission to speak to defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
Butler feels Austin, who has been with the Steelers since 2019 after stints with the Cardinals, Ravens, Lions and Bengals, will be the choice.
"He needs to get somebody to help him. I think he's got an idea of who he wants. I'm pretty sure Teryl Austin is going to get a chance to be the coordinator here," Butler said. "Teryl does a good job. He did a good job of helping me in terms of laying out the game plan. We did that. We laid out the game plan as position coaches. We all got together and did that stuff and Mike would put his two cents in on what we wanted to do, what we tried to do. It worked out for the most part. He'll continue to do that, I'm sure."
Whether or not the Steelers will be able to replicate the top-five defensive performances they posted in 2019 and 2020 remains to be seen.
Nose tackle Tyson Alualu has already stated that he wants to return in 2022 after missing all but five quarters of the 2021 season with a fractured ankle.
But the Steelers were without defensive end Stephon Tuitt, one of just three AFC players to record 10 or more sacks in 2020, for the entire season. Tuitt had an offseason surgery on his knee, then lost his brother to a hit-and-run accident after mini-camp. Tuitt tried to return in training camp, but aggravated the knee injury and spent the entire season on injured reserve.
He was healthy enough to return by mid-November, but was continuing to deal with the loss of his brother, whose death was witnessed by their mother.
"I don't know. I really don't know," Butler said in regard to a return for Tuitt, who is under contract for the 2022 season. "That's going to be up to Mr. (Art) Rooney and the organization, really. I have no idea. I don't know where he is set mentally. That's something that is very private and we didn't know a whole lot about. We just took it for granted that the thing that happened to him and his family was very hard on him and he really struggled with it. I hope he comes back for the team. I don't know if he will. We'll see what happens."
