For somebody who coached within the NFL so long as former Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator Todd Haley, there’s certain to be remorse. For Haley, one play stands out above the others. Becoming a member of ESPN’s Kevin Clark on the newest episode of Clark’s This Is Soccer podcast.
“We have been taking part in a recreation in Pittsburgh,” Haley instructed Clark. “Us coaches, we predict we have now all these nice concepts. So I’m going to run somewhat pretend jet sweep in a short-yardage scenario, and Ben’s gonna pretend the jet sweep, after which we’ll throw play-action for a giant play to Heath Miller. Effectively, Ben faked the jet sweep. Turned his again to the protection due to my dumb thought, and threw it to the protection.”
Haley initially had us somewhat stumped on what play he was referring to, telling Clark he couldn’t bear in mind the yr or opponent, however thinks Pittsburgh nonetheless received and referred to it as a “massive recreation.”
Digging via the play-by-play, it seems Haley is referring to not Heath Miller however TE Jesse James in a 2016 win at house towards the Baltimore Ravens. Trailing 17-10 late within the third quarter, WR Eli Rogers jetted throughout the sphere as Roethlisberger turned his again with out even executing a pretend to the again, serving to the protection key move all the way in which. A throw to the brief proper seam for James was picked by LB C.J. Mosley, who returned it the opposite approach for 28 yards.
That “massive recreation” was Antonio Brown’s “Immaculate Extension” after his last-second goal-line stretch vaulted Pittsburgh over Baltimore en path to successful the AFC North. Although all’s effectively that ends effectively, Haley’s mentor had a message for him.
“I get to the coaches locker room proper after the sport. There’s a message from Coach Parcells. He says, ‘Name me, we have to speak.’ So I known as him later that evening. He mentioned, you by no means flip your quarterback’s again to the protection in that scenario. I need you to go in there tomorrow and inform Ben and the whole offense you set them in a foul place. So I needed to go in there and do it. He known as me the subsequent day and mentioned, did you do it? I mentioned, ‘Sure, Coach, I did it.’ So if I might have one play again, it’d be that one.”
As Haley defined to Clark, turning the quarterback’s again on a fast throw is a doubtful mixture. It prevented Roethlisberger from studying the protection and seeing Mosley, then one of many recreation’s high linebackers, transferring over to cowl James down the seam.
Having Parcells make Haley personal it the subsequent day solely provides to the remorse. However kudos to Parcells and Haley for following via and being accountable to the second. As a lot as Haley was criticized for his brash and infrequently boastful nature, he supplied an sincere and humble reply to Clark’s query. No coach likes reliving their worst moments, however Haley was capable of give a considerate reply. The medication positive goes down higher in a win, too.
