In the 2000s, the Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the most dominant defenses in the NFL. That unit helped them win two Super Bowls. While names like Troy Polamalu or James Harrison got much of the spotlight, the Steelers’ defense had other talented pieces. That included inside linebacker Larry Foote, who the team selected in the fourth round of the 2002 draft. He remained a Steeler until 2008, and then had another stint with them from 2010-2013.
Now, Foote is the run game coordinator and outside linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Steelers are set to play the Bucs in their upcoming preseason game, and according to Pewter Report on Twitter, Foote will be calling plays for the Bucs’ defense that game.
Earlier this offseason, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles stated that he’d consider giving Foote this honor against his former team. Now, it’s confirmed. Any chance to call plays in the NFL is meaningful, but a chance against the team that drafted you is nothing short of golden.
Foote retired from the NFL after spending the 2014 season with the Arizona Cardinals. Then, in 2015, he joined the Cardinals’ coaching staff as their assistant linebackers coach. In 2016, he became Arizona’s linebackers coach, staying through the 2018 season.
Since 2019, Foote has been a coach with the Buccaneers. He was initially their outside linebackers coach before moving to the inside linebacker room from 2022-2024. This season, he’s back to coaching their outside linebackers. This week, the talented coach will get a chance to defeat the team that drafted him.
The Steelers and Bucs have a joint practice scheduled this week. That should add another fun component to Foote’s increased role for this week’s game. He’ll be back in the same stadium (albeit with a different name) where he made a name for himself as a player.
Reports indicate that the Bucs will play many of their starters this week. It’s still unclear how many, if any, starters the Steelers plan to play. Foote would probably love to get a chance to test his abilities as a play caller against Aaron Rodgers.
Foote was also a part of the Steelers team that lost to Rodgers in the Super Bowl. If Rodgers plays, that could add an extra element to this game. While wins and losses matter less in the preseason, Foote coaching his defense to a win against his former team and the quarterback that cost him a third Super Bowl ring as a player would be poetic justice.
