Pittsburgh Steelers Hire Jack Bicknell As Offensive Line Coach

Pittsburgh Steelers former offensive line coach Sean Kugler left the team to accept the head coaching gig with the UTEP Miners on the college level. While the move left the Steelers with a vacancy on their coaching staff, it did not take long to fill the void left by Kugler. Today, the team announced that have already found his replacement.

The Steelers have hired former Kansas City Chiefs and New York Giants offensive line coach Jack Bicknell to the same position in Pittsburgh.

Kansas City struggled last season — which is how they obviously got the first-overall pick — but Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was happy with the way the Chiefs ran the ball with Jamaal Charles, Peyton Hillis and others.

“The proof is in the pudding,” said Tomlin.

“When I had an opportunity to look, not only at what he says from a presentation standpoint but also at what the tape looks like, it was attractive. Obviously they were in a tough situation this past year in Kansas City from a team standpoint. Their record reflects that. They had some instability at the quarterback position, but they ran the ball and they ran the ball consistently.

“They played the AFC North, and they ran the ball very well against all the teams in the AFC North. They ran the ball effectively against us when Jamaal Charles had a 100-yard game. That was attractive to me. The plan they were able to put together, the success they were able to have vs. some people we are going to see quite a bit was a selling feature.”

Bicknell will now take over in Pittsburgh with one of the league’s youngest offensive lines. Injuries have hurt the unity of the line during the past few seasons, but Bicknell can develop these young players and build a solid unit in the Steel City.