The Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive units of the 2000s are a testament to the genius of former Defensive Coordinator, Dick LeBeau. He earned the respect and admiration of everyone who worked with him, and during the 16 combined years he spent coaching defenses in Pittsburgh, he became a beloved fan favorite.
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Steelers' Troy Polamalu and Dick LeBeau.
That's why it is unsurprising that the roster of players he coached reads like a who's who of gridiron legends, including Brett Keisel. LeBeau described Keisel as an athletic player who was smaller in size for a defensive end. He had suffered a shoulder injury during the 2003 season, and part of how he won his new coach over was how he fought back from adversity.
In his new book, Legendary, LeBeau describes how Keisel had begun to appear in the defensive rotations. In 2006, he recorded 5.5 sacks and was in the starting lineup, but thought he could do more. LeBeau wrote that Keisel felt "miscast" as a defensive end whose job was to engage blockers so the linebackers could get free. He thought he had more to contribute, so he barged into his coach's office one morning to express his frustration.
"He told me he thought he could do more than tie up blockers. He did not stop there. He asked how he was ever going to make a Pro Bowl, get a big contract if he was not also rushing the passer and dropping into coverage. I explained how well our defense had ranked statistically as a whole. 'Let me get something through your thick head. I make decisions on our defense for us to be No. 1, for us to be the best defense as a whole that we can be,' I said. 'If you think I'm making decisions for James [Harrison] or Troy [Polamalu] or other guys to make all the plays and to be All-Pro, you're a fool.'"
LeBeau told Keisel that he had contributed more than he realized. Keisel was so good at eating up defenders that it frequently took two offensive linemen out of contention. In LeBeau's eyes, he saw Keisel as a weapon and, more importantly, a cog in a bigger system.
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Steelers' LaMarr Woodley and Brett Keisel.
By 2008, the Steelers had the number-one defense in the league in points and yards allowed, frequently holding opponents to 10 or fewer points. Keisel was a part of that because LeBeau displayed tough love. He told him he would find someone willing if he didn't want to be that weapon on the team. The message got through to Keisel.
"Keisel was mortified after we finished our chat. 'Coach, I can't wait to practice double teams at practice today,' he said. 'Please! I love being on this defense.'"
LeBeau said after that, Keisel showed how dedicated to playing he was and how hard he was willing to work. He was often one of the first ones in the building in the morning working out in the weight room, which gave LeBeau a feeling that Keisel was going to be a solid contributor.
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Steelers' Brett Keisel.
Keisel spent his whole 12-year career in Pittsburgh and was adored by fans. He was a bit of an unsung hero on those defenses, making only one Pro Bowl, but he helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls. That includes pulling in a fumble recovery that helped seal the team's sixth Lombardi Trophy.
Steelers' Brett Keisel Put The Fear In Offensive Linemen
The last time Keisel and the Steelers went to the Super Bowl was against the Green Bay Packers. Sadly, the Steelers could not pull out a win, but Keisel certainly gave the Packers offensive lineman Daryn Colledge a scare to remember.
Colledge said he had gone up against Keisel before and knew how good he was. He ended up with a false start, partly caused by his nerves over wrangling Keisel. Ultimately, it didn't matter, but at the time, he was sure he had cost his team the game.
Are you surprised to hear that LeBeau had to give Keisel a little reality check? Click to comment below.
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