Arizona Cardinals don’t appear to be getting Dick LeBeau
By Scott Allen
There were conflicting reports on Wednesday about what role, if any, Dick LeBeau would have played in Arizona
So, apparently it isn’t happening after all. Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will not be coming to Arizona in any capacity. So no linebackers coach, no defensive coordinator, no consultant. Can’t say I’m surprised.
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According to a couple of different tweets put out there on Thursday evening indicated the move to add LeBeau to the Arizona Cardinals coaching staff was not going to happen at all. There have been rampant rumors about his imminent addition to the staff for about a week or so now.
.@mikejurecki: "I'm hearing it doesn't appear Dick LeBeau will be joining the Cardinals staff in any capacity."@KentSomers @SandoESPN
— Fox Sports 910 (@foxsports910) January 23, 2015
Dick LeBeau may never join the #AZCardinals, but it's made for some interesting speculation of late http://t.co/UU0cwLv7Op
— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) January 22, 2015
He’s right. If for nothing else, the availability of LeBeau and the openings the Cardinals have on the defensive side of the ball certainly has made for good conversation as of late. As of yesterday afternoon it still appeared it was likely to happen.
So what did happen? Well there were conflicting reports as to what LeBeau’s role really would be in Arizona. There were numerous reports that LeBeau was going to join the Cardinals staff as linebackers coach. However there were reports that LeBeau was not interested in being a position coach, which is what I thought when I heard he was the target for the role.
Last week many thought that LeBeau would come here as defensive coordinator after former defensive coordinator Todd Bowles was hired as the head coach of the New York Jets. There had already been speculation that LeBeau would be coming to Arizona before the Bowles hire.
Reports though quickly shot down the idea of LeBeau coming to Arizona as the new defensive coordinator. There was talk that head coach Bruce Arians wanted to promote within for the position. In fact that may end up being the case. There are reports Thursday evening that the Cardinals may be targeting current Cardinals outside linebackers coach James Bettcher as the new defensive coordinator.
So no LeBeau. Life goes on. It would have been interesting to see how the Cardinals would have used him. Someone will hire him. He said when he parted from the Steelers that he was not retiring. It just won’t be in Arizona.