Tomlin’s new contract will carry him through 2014. His previous contract, signed when the Steelers hired him in ‘07, had one year and an option left. The five-year deal was worth an average of $2.5 million annually.

The Steelers have not yet announced Tomlin’s new contract and financial terms were unavailable.

Steelers president Art Rooney, who negotiated the deal with his coach, is on vacation and could not be reached for comment.

In similar circumstances, Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, with two years left on his first deal, signed an entirely new five-year contract in February that reportedly will pay him an annual average of between $5.5 million and $6 million.

In the past when the Steelers extended the contract of former coach Bill Cowher, the terms of the original deal would remain in place and the new salary would not kick in until the new extended portion of the contract began.

Whisenhunt was a candidate to replace Cowher, who resigned as Steelers coach after the 2006 season. Instead, Whisenhunt took Arizona’s offer to become the Cardinals’ head coach and the Steelers hired Tomlin.

Whisenhunt and Tomlin received virtually identical contracts of four years and an option year that averaged $2.5 million annually.

If Tomlin, 38, and the Steelers followed suit and negotiated a comparable contract again, it would be the highest contract the team has paid its head coach. For that to happen, however, an entirely new contract would have had to be done and it does not appear to have happened.

Tomlin’s record as coach is 31-17 in three regular seasons.

Since Cowher succeeded Chuck Noll as their coach in 1992, the Steelers traditionally extended his contract whenever there were two years remaining on his old deal. Sometimes the extension would be for two years, others for three.

They did that until the sides could not come to terms before the 2006 season and Cowher resigned with one year left on his deal.

Often, those contract extensions came well before the start of training camp, and as Tomlin’s fourth camp at Saint Vincent College approached its July 30 start with no news on a contract extension, speculation took hold as to whether the Steelers even wanted to negotiate one.

Tomlin’s 2009 team failed to defend its Super Bowl title when, after a 6-2 start, it lost five in a row and tumbled to 9-7.

There were reports shortly after the season that Tomlin would fire offensive coordinator Bruce Arians at the behest of the front office.

While Tomlin did fire several coaches, he kept Arians. Tomlin and Art Rooney denied there were any pressure to fire Arians.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10194/1072422-66.stm#ixzz0tZJX0xxq

So she packed him into the car to run some errands. On the way home, the phone rang.

Tracy, who tied a William and Mary record with 12 sacks and had 22 tackles for loss as a senior defensive end, was chosen in the sixth round of the NFL draft on Saturday, going to the New York Giants with the 184th overall pick.

“I was relieved, to be honest,” Tracy said. “Some people had told me not to watch, some people had told me to watch, and I was just caught in the middle. If I wasn’t watching, I was getting updated on my Blackberry. Either way, I was still anxious and nervous.”

Tracy visited the Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers and was pleased to talk to New York head coach Tom Coughlin, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and linebackers coach Jim Herrmann on Saturday. Tracy, undersized for an NFL defensive end at 6-foot-3 and 248 pounds, will move to outside linebacker with the Giants.

“I knew that New York had a pick before Pittsburgh, so I kind of got a little antsy, and then before I knew it, I was getting a call,” Tracy said. “I knew that I was going somewhere, and I was excited at where I was going. (The Giants) mean business. It’s very similar to how William and Mary was operating, as far as being about business, doing hard work and watching the results pay off.”

The expectations might not be as lofty for Bucs coach Raheem Morris, Tomlin’s protege, who struggled to a 3-13 record in his first season at the helm. But Tomlin says he expects Morris to benefit from the experience he gained as a first-time head coach and be better for it in 2010.

“He’s capable,” Tomlin said during the AFC coaches breakfast at the NFL owners meetings. “I’ve been around him enough to know that. I think that’s why the Glazers hired him, and I trust he handled it appropriately.

“It’s like when we were talking about (a) second-year player. It’s a lap around the track. There are no elements of the journey that you’re not familiar with. I think the first year, you’ve got a vision of the journey. You’ve got a vision of the plan. After your first year, you’ve got tangible evidence as to why it works and why it doesn’t. That information can be quality information for you if you’re sharp. He is sharp, so I imagine he’ll be better in 2010.”

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels had more success in his first season at Denver. But a 6-0 start evaporated into an 8-8 record. McDaniels says he can commiserate with Morris on learning from first-year head coaching mistakes.

“I spoke with Raheem (Monday), actually,” McDaniels said. “You know, it’s the first year and that’s what we were both talking about. I think you know a lot more now than you did at this time last year about the team that you have — about your players, about your staff, about the process you want to go through, about some of the things that you wouldn’t do again and about some of the things you did and definitely want to do again.

“Raheem went through some changes with his staff. We obviously had some changes with our staff as well. I can tell in his words that he feels more comfortable with what he’s doing, with who’s there around him, with what he knows about the team and everything else. … I know my team better. I know my players better. I know the way they’re going to react. I know my staff better. And those are the things that will allow my staff and my players to make those adjustments a lot quicker.”

Click for Larry Foote Presser

However, the Steelers are waiting to see if Foote, who is an unrestricted free agent after playing one season with the Detroit Lions, is willing to return.

Foote, 29, is scheduled to meet today with the Washington Redskins, where former Steelers defensive assistant Lou Spanos is the new linebackers coach; and later this week with the Arizona Cardinals, where he would be reunited with former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.

Foote asked to be released by the Steelers after the 2008 Super Bowl season because he didn’t want to be a backup to Lawrence Timmons.

But the Steelers are willing to take him back because he would give them some veteran depth on the roster in the event of injury, even at outside linebacker. If LaMarr Woodley or James Harrison were injured, Timmons would move to the outside and Fo

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10067/1041149-66.stm?cmpid=steelers.xml#ixzz0hvGEGOd7

Foote is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent March 5.

“I think Larry genuinely has an interest in being here, and we genuinely have an interest in having him,” Lewand said. “The question is whether we can work something out, and we’ll continue to try to do that as we go forward.”

Foote, who played at Detroit Pershing and Michigan, wants a multiyear deal to stay with his hometown team. Foote spoke out publicly two weeks ago about what he considered the Lions’ lack of interest in him. Foote’s agent, Brian Levy, said last week said he expected Foote to become a free agent.

“It’s always my hope that if we want somebody to be here, and they want to be here that we can work out a deal,” Lewand said. “It doesn’t always happen, but it certainly gives you a better chance when the parties genuinely have an interest in each other, rather than some other thing driving the discussions — whether it’s other leverage, whether it’s selling to the highest bidder, whatever those things are.”

Lewand said the Lions have been speaking to the agents for their other pending unrestricted free agents, which include cornerback Will James and tight end Casey Fitzsimmons. He said he expected things to pick up next week at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

“We’ll see if any of those conversations turn into more active discussions and negotiations,” Lewand said. “I’ve seen it happen a lot where you start to clear deals as you near the end.”

“We’re just going to free agency and see from there,” said Foote, citing unproductive talks between his agent, Brian Levy, and Lions general manager Martin Mayhew. “I mean, obviously, I’m not a big priority for them. So that’s just how I’m taking it.”

Foote, 29, returned to his hometown on a one-year contract last May after spending his first seven NFL seasons in Pittsburgh. He started 14 games in 2009, leading the Lions with 99 tackles, including nine for loss and two sacks.

When asked about the possibility of re-signing Foote last month, Mayhew said, “I wouldn’t rule out bringing him back. … I thought he brought a lot to the table in terms of his leadership with that group and obviously the things he did in our community. He’s a guy that wants to be in Detroit and obviously that’s important.”

But with the emergence of rookie DeAndre Levy, who started the final two games at middle linebacker with Foote sidelined by an injury, the Lions might be ready to move on. The team also has Ernie Sims and Julian Peterson under contract for 2010, though Peterson is scheduled to make $7.5 million in 2010.

Asked about Levy’s development at the end of the season, defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham said, “I’ll be really happy, whether he plays in the middle or outside — it doesn’t make any difference. But what I’d like to have him (do) is play the middle spot, so he can call the defenses.”

So does that make Foote expendable?

“I mean, I don’t look at it like that. Me and Levy played all year together, practically,” Foote said, noting Levy started eight games at outside linebacker. “You want to stack up enough good linebackers as you can.”

Foote said he’s “not looking to break the bank” but wants a multiyear deal, not another one-year contract. And he’s well aware he might not fit in the Lions’ long-term plans.

“Just from the business side of it, with a team that’s been losing, they don’t normally invest in veteran players that much, no matter how good you played,” he said. “Because a veteran at my age — I mean, I’m still fairly young — I’m just a piece of the pie, I’m not the base of a team.”

So what’s next? Even as a latecomer to free agency last spring — the Steelers didn’t release him until after the draft — Foote drew interest from other teams, including Arizona, Tampa Bay and Indianapolis. And the two-time Super Bowl champ has proven durable, starting 94 consecutive games before suffering a foot injury in late December that forced him to miss the end of last season.

“I’ve never really been a free agent before,” Foote said. “All I can go by is what my agent says, see what’s out there, and it’s in God’s hands after that, really.”

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100203/SPORTS0101/2030444/1126/sports0101/Frustrated-Larry-Foote-will-test-free-agent-market#ixzz0f3zkAwZb

November 24th, 2009 changed all that. As you know, Morris had aspirations of changing the defensive scheme. The one thing that had been associated with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the last 15 years is now being stripped in favor of a more aggressive, attacking defense. To say the least, not a popular move in Tampa. Also, a move not really understood, considering Morris is knee-deep in the Tampa Two defensive system. But, Morris wanted change, and he was able to get Jim Bates on board to oversee this change. While Bates may not have had great success as a head coach, you can’t take away his defensive knowledge.

But things started bad and never got better for Tampa. The departed Brooks and Cato June, thought too small for the system, were never properly replaced. The Bucs were runners-up in the Albert Haynesworth sweepstakes, another setback. As Tampa Bay entered training camp, its core of defensive players were the same as the ones from last year, minus one leader, but the system was new.

And boy, did the system fail these guys. After two seasons of Pro-Bowl caliber play, Barrett Ruud looked extremely out of place. Whatever opponents wanted to do, they did. Some teams passed on the Bucs, like the Cowboys, others ran on the Bucs, most notably Carolina. On November 22nd, the Saints plastered 38 points on Tampa, and it looked like if New Orleans really felt like it, they could have scored 58. It was the fifth time in ten games a team scored more than thirty points on the Bucs, not to mention the two times they gave up 28 and the mere 24 the Giants handed them.

Enough was enough, and here is where the credit begins. Raheem Morris, not content to stand idly by as the season, already lost, plunges into complete mayhem, realized his plan was failing, but also knew that his players know what they’re doing, if they’re given the right job. So, Raheem decided it was time to let the boys play the way they know how, re-implemented the Tampa Two, and demoted Bates to advisor. Since Morris has much more experience running this system, he smartly dubbed himself the defensive coordinator for the rest of the season.

Tampa Bay has now played five games since the switch. During that time, they’ve given up an average of 17.2 point per game. Compare that to the 29.4 points the defense gave up per game through the first ten games. In those ten games, the defense was allowing teams to rack up 378 yards per game. Since the switch, the number is 333, knocking off 45 yards per game. Given today’s statistics, the Bucs have improved from 29th to 16th in total team defense, and from 31st to 6th in scoring defense. They’ve also had much better results in their re-matches with the Panthers and Saints. And most importantly, the Bucs have won, then won again, taking the NFC’s best team down a notch in the process.

Credit the players for playing with more enthusiasm and urgency, but credit Raheem Morris for realizing his mistakes and putting his players in position to succeed again. Question becomes, is it enough to save his job, and what are his defensive plans for next year? I think Morris has done enough in the second half of the season to warrant keeping him around. Hopefully he’ll stick with the Tampa Two from the beginning this time around. Who’ll be the coordinator? Well, I think Chicago may be making a coaching change, leaving candidates with Tampa connections, Lovie Smith and Rod Marinelli. Either should make a nice hire

But Jenkins has been everything defensive coordinator Dom Capers could have hoped for — and more — when he implemented his scheme with the Green Bay Packers. If Capers needs some teaching film for future 3-4 ends, he need only throw in the tape of last Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh, where Jenkins was borderline dominant.

Forget what the official game stats said — merely one assist on a tackle — Jenkins wreaked havoc. Unofficially, he had nine quarterback pressures, three of which set up sacks for outside linebackers Brad Jones, Clay Matthews and Brady Poppinga.

Jenkins hit Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger six times. That was the second most hits by a Packers’ player this season, according to the team’s individual defensive stats. Only linebacker Aaron Kampman, who had seven against Detroit on Oct. 18, recorded more this season.

About the only thing Jenkins failed to do against the Steelers was wrap up the elusive Roethlisberger for a sack on the game’s second-to-last play, which might have ended it before Roethlisberger could throw the last-second, game-winning touchdown pass.

Though he has just 4½ sacks, Jenkins leads all Packers’ defensive linemen in quarterback hits this season with 21. The next closest lineman is Johnny Jolly with nine. Jenkins also has an interception and three forced fumbles this season.

Months went by without him signing a contract. Training camps around the league started over the summer, and he still didn’t have a job.

“It tries to creep in,” he said of thoughts of his career coming to a close, “but my confidence — and, I guess, the competitor in me — knew that wasn’t the case.”

Two days after the Denver Broncos completed their preseason schedule, they gave Holliday a job, signing him to a contract for this season.

Through 13 games, he has proven to be a valuable investment. The 6-foot-5, 285-pound defensive lineman has 26 tackles, three sacks and five quarterback hits.

“You always want to play better,” said Holliday, who turned 34 on Friday. “Would I like to be with 10 sacks right now, 100 tackles? Yeah. But in this scheme and on this team doing my job, yeah, I feel good about what I’ve done so far.”

The 19th overall selection in the 1998 NFL Draft, Holliday has been a productive player throughout his career. Playing for Green Bay (1998-2002), Kansas City (2003-04) and Miami (2005-07) before signing with the Broncos, Holliday has 58 career sacks, and he has started 87 percent of the games that he has played.

His impact on the Broncos this season goes deeper than stats, however.

“He is a guy that understands how to play his position in this defense,” said Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, who, in his 14th season, is one of the few players on the roster older than Holliday. “I think that has benefited some of the other guys who haven’t played in this (3-4) defense.

“He has been a tremendous, tremendous benefit for this team, and I’m so happy we were able to talk him into coming here.”

Considering that he spent eight months without a job, Holliday was pleased to come to Denver.

“This offseason was one of those offseasons where you really have to challenge yourself,” Holliday said. “At this point in my career, a lot of people counted me out and didn’t know how much I could go, or if I still had it.

“It was a big chip on my shoulder that drove me throughout the offseason.”

Living in Atlanta, Holliday said he had no trouble being motivated to work out.

He started 15 games in Miami last season, but wasn’t invited back. Once he became a free agent, he decided in January to have his right knee surgically repaired.

After that surgery, he worked out twice a day for a while, and then three times a day once he could run. He even added spin classes, core classes and yoga to his routine.

“I had probably one of my best offseasons, in terms of conditioning, in a long time,” he said. “My body got a chance to heal up.

“It was actually easy (to stay motivated) because it was all on me. You don’t want to be left in a situation where when you do get the call, you’re not ready to go. Then, you’ve proven everybody right. For me, it was easy to get up and go.”

Facing the reality that he might, indeed, be done playing football motivated him as well.

“I needed that outlet (of working out),” he said. “I was going through so much mentally at that time. Here you are, faced with 12 years in the league and you’re looking around the league at a lot of your peers who are also out of work. Some of them didn’t get called back and still aren’t on a team. (Working out) was my outlet.”

It paid off when he signed with Denver. He has had to change his mindset, however. Throughout his career, he got used to starting and playing most of the game. That’s not his role in Denver.

“There was a switch I had to make mentally,” he said. “OK, maybe I’m not a guy who goes out and plays 60 snaps a game, so I have to play 35, 40 snaps. So, I had to come to terms with that. Then, after that, yeah, I can play this game.”

At 34 years old and in his 12th season, Holliday has already had a longer career than most. Yet, after a long offseason and a productive season to this point, he doesn’t see the end in sight.

“Right now, if I had to guess at it, yeah, it’s still in me,” he said.

“I always told myself and anybody that would listen that I would play this game for as long as I was still enjoying it.”