Steelers fire Lewis, Jackson

With a 6-10 season hanging over his head, Steelers head coach Bill Cowher pointed an accusing finger at defensive coordinator Tim Lewis and wide receivers coach Kenny Jackson on Tuesday when he fired both men.

Lewis, who had been with the team since 1995 and was coordinator since 2000, was dismissed with one year and about $400,000 left on his contract. He is the fourth coordinator fired by Cowher since 1996, but the first on the defensive side of the ball.

The Steelers' coaching staff appears to be in a major state of flux after Cowher said last week that he planned no changes. The Buffalo Bills received permission yesterday from Steelers officials to interview offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey for their head-coaching vacancy. Mularkey will meet today with Bills president and general manager Tom Donahoe, who already has interviewed six other candidates. Mularkey interviewed with the Falcons last week.

Jackson, 41, was a rookie NFL coach when the Steelers hired him in 2001 after eight seasons at Penn State. His Steelers contract expired at the end of the 2003 season. Jackson led the team's wide receivers during all three of Hines Ward's Pro Bowl seasons, but former No. 1 draft choice Plaxico Burress slumped from 78 receptions for 1,325 yards and seven touchdowns in 2002 to 60, 860 and four this season.

Lewis, 42, was fired after leading the Steelers to No. 1 rankings in overall defense in 2001 and rushing defense in '01 and '02. The team fell to ninth and 12th in those categories this season while improving from 20th to 12th in pass defense. Under Lewis, the Steelers never finished worse than ninth in the league overall rankings (seventh, first, seventh and ninth).

"I was a little taken aback," said Lewis, who was a candidate to fill the head-coaching vacancy with the Atlanta Falcons. He was scheduled for a second interview with Atlanta owner Arthur Blank on Thursday, but the Falcons canceled it after Cowher's announcement.

Cowher said last week that he planned no disruptions of his coaching staff, but he changed his mind after meeting with Lewis and Jackson.

"My intent all along was to sit down, evaluate the entire season and not make any hasty decisions on any members of our coaching staff," Cowher said. "After discussions with the coaches, it was apparent these changes were necessary in the best interest of the team."

The Steelers' defense had a different look this season as the pass rush lost some aggressiveness in its blitz package in an attempt to cover up weaknesses at cornerback. Dewayne Washington was benched after eight games and Chad Scott struggled before missing the final four games with a hand injury.

The result was a falloff from a team-record 55 sacks in 2001 and 50 in 2002 to 34 this season. The Steelers also had only 14 interceptions compared to 19 last season.

Lewis said, however, that his split with the Steelers had more to do with "philosophical differences" with Cowher than football.

"From a football standpoint, Bill and I see the Xs and Os the same way," Lewis said. "We were still going to be the 'Blitzburg' we had always been. The head coach and I and the defensive staff concurred that there were things we had to do in recognition that we had some weaknesses in certain areas and we had to be alert to them."

Steelers secondary coach Willy Robinson, who is highly regarded within the organization, could become a candidate to replace Lewis. San Francisco 49ers coach Dennis Erickson considered Robinson for his defensive coordinator position last year. Fired head coaches Dick Jauron (Chicago Bears), Dave McGinnis (Arizona Cardinals) and Gregg Williams (Bills) were respected defensive coordinators for several years, and also could be in the mix with the Steelers.

Williams, however, is a strong candidate to become the coordinator with the New York Jets. Former Jets coordinator Ted Cottrell also could get a look from the Steelers.

Lewis said he wants to resume his coaching career, and the Minnesota Vikings are still looking for a coordinator to replace George O'Leary.

With seven new head coaches coming into the league, including Tom Coughlin who was hired yesterday by the New York Giants, other defensive coordinator jobs will surface in the coming weeks.

"As a coach you get a big thrill out of watching your guys perform the tasks you are asking them to get done," Lewis said. "Seeing defenses that you have devised and worked on and planned come to fruition and work is exciting. That lifestyle is a neat lifestyle."

Lewis said he spoke with team chairman Dan Rooney before leaving the Steelers' South Side practice facility yesterday. "The organization, Art (Rooney II, team president) and Dan, bent over backward to help Tim Lewis be successful."

NOTE: Former Cardinals offensive coordinator Jerry Sullivan could become a candidate to replace Jackson in Pittsburgh. Sullivan was receivers coach with the Detroit Lions from 1997-2000 when Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert was there.

Offensive

Ron Erhardt - 1992-1995 - Fired

Chan Gailey - 1996-1997 - Hired as coach of Cowboys

Ray Sherman - 1998 - Fired

Kevin Gilbride - 1999-2000 - Fired

Mike Mularkey - 2001-Present - ???

Defensive

Dom Capers - 1992-1994 - Hired as coach of the Carolina Panthers

Dick LeBeau - 1995-1996 - Accepted similar position with Bengals

Jim Haslett - 1997-1999 - Hired as coach of the Saints

Tim Lewis - 2000-2003 - Fired