Editor’s Note: The only problem when writing a book with Dick LeBeau about the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers defense and his life is that not everything makes it into the book. What follows is a story that offers a peek behind the curtain.
Dick LeBeau remembers the meeting as one in which he simply explained how his defense fit together. Brett Keisel remembers it as one in which his Pittsburgh Steelers career flashed in front of his eyes.
It happened during the 2007 season when the Steelers allowed the fewest yards in the NFL (266.4 per game) and second-fewest points (16.8 per game). Keisel was on the rise, authoring the next chapter in an unlikely career.
He had been taken by the Steelers with the second of their two seventh-round picks in the 2002 NFL Draft. The 242nd selection of that draft fought his way onto the team — and stayed there – with his special teams play.
Keisel, a rangy, athletic end became a part of the defensive line rotation in 2005. The next year, he moved into the starting lineup. He started all 16 games and recorded five-and-a-half sacks.
Frustration set in the following season. Keisel felt miscast as a defensive end whose primary responsibility was occupying blockers. He loved LeBeau but thought he could do more.
One morning, he took up LeBeau on his open-door policy. He was sitting in LeBeau’s office when the latter walked in and said, “What’s up big boy! How are you doing?”
Not too good, Keisel said.
“Oh geez,” LeBeau said while sitting down at his desk. “What’s on your mind?”
Keisel said that he thought he could do more. 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?
Whatever catharsis Keisel felt dissipated when LeBeau pointedly asked if he was done.
“I immediately wanted to crawl out of his office,” Keisel said with a laugh.
The 6-foot-5, 285-pounder felt like he was shrinking as LeBeau took his turn. He asked Keisel where the Steelers had recently ranked in defensive categories (answer: either first or near the top of the NFL) and what the Steelers had accomplished in 2005 (answer: won their first Super Bowl since 1979).
Here is how Keisel remembers part of LeBeau’s rebuttal:
“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 that we can be. 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. You are a great guy up front. You force people to take two guys to block you. That’s a weapon. Maybe you don’t want to be that weapon anymore. Maybe I should find someone else to do this job.”
Keisel got on his knees after LeBeau had finished — literally.
“Coach, I can’t wait to practice double teams at practice today,” Keisel said. “Please! I love being on this defense.”
LeBeau had obviously made his point.
“I know you do but just remember, it’s about all of us,” he told Keisel. “When I’m making a call or when I have a play that I think the defense can win on it’s about the whole defense so when someone else makes a play, we all make a play.”
They sure made a few of them in 2008.
