Bruce Arians felt “Betrayed” by Steelers Firing

All things considered, the split between one-time offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and the Pittsburgh Steelers worked out for everyone. The Steelers moved on to a fresh start with Todd Haley, while Arians went on to become a perennial Coach of the Year contender with the Arizona Cardinals. But in a television interview set to air on HBO’s Real Sports next week, Arians delved deeper into the unamicable breakup.

“Did you feel betrayed?” asked reporter Andrea Kramer. “Oh yeah, yeah,” replied Arians definitively. “I had done a good job. Maybe not the right image, but it was a damn good job. I was pissed. But again, time heals things.”

That “right image” he spoke of was in reference to his incredibly close relationship with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The pair saw themselves as more friends than colleagues; a personal bond that didn’t seem to sit well with the Steelers brass and their traditionally professional image. “The style of offense and my relationship with Ben [cost me my job],” Arians added. “They thought [it was too close]. And we didn’t run the ball enough.”

Well, he’s right on that last part at least. In the last couple of years with Arians at the helm, the Steelers offense was going through a period of serious transition, and had lost its identity in the process. The only staple was Roethlisberger: determined to play through any adversity with often-adverse results. The receiving corps was mostly old and lacking in explosiveness, the offensive line was woeful and Coach Tomlin’s “running-back-by-committee” system was floundering.

Had the Steelers stayed the course with Arians and his “throw first, throw deep” offense, Big Ben would’ve been a shoo-in to end his career as the NFL’s most sacked quarterback…provided his body held up long enough to reach the mark.

Arians’ departure hit Roethlisberger hard, and he reportedly struggled to get on the same page as Haley and his “dink and dunk” philosophy. A few seasons later, though, and the Steelers boast one of the most potent offenses in the league thanks to a well-planned union of coaching, personnel and drafting.

Betrayal or not, the time was right for Arians and the Steelers to go their separate ways.