Detroit – There was a time when Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau was in this city preparing to play in big games rather than coach in them. He was a Detroit Lions Pro Bowl cornerback who played in 171 consecutive NFL games and had 62 career interceptions.
Today LeBeau designs the defense Pittsburgh hopes chokes the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. But back in the 1960s, when the Lions were hot and Motown was hotter, LeBeau was immersed in both.
He has shared stories with his players about the postgame parties he used to attend. How he rubbed shoulders with Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross and other Motown stars.
The current Steelers equate that to a bash involving 50 Cent and Alicia Keys.
This makes LeBeau, 68, super cool among some Steelers green enough to be his grandchildren. The fact he played and performed so artfully in the NFL has earned him immense respect from his players.
The comfort that he is on their side devising schemes, making calls, anticipating, implementing his fabled zone blitz and leading Pittsburgh’s defense today is reassuring to each Steelers defender.
You will never find a Steeler past or present who has a negative word to say about Dick Le-
Beau, former Steeler Rod Woodson said.
“We call him the wizard,” Pittsburgh cornerback Ike Taylor said. “When he speaks, I listen.”
Pittsburgh linebacker James Farrior said: “Dick always puts us in the best positions. He anticipates offenses. His mind and his approach to defense has no end. He could come up with a game plan every day for the rest of his life, and each one would always have something different.”
He took Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Denver, three of the league’s best offenses, and carved each one into pieces in the playoffs. And he did it in their stadiums.
Today at Ford Field he will be challenged by Seattle’s swanky offense: No NFL team scored more points this season than Seattle.
Seattle was first in red-zone offense (71.7 percent) and in fourth-down efficiency (7-of-8 converted). It was second in total yards per game (369.7), yards per play (5.8), first downs per game (22.6), rushing yards per attempt (4.7) and first-down plays (361).
Seattle presents the NFL’s leading rusher, Shaun Alexander, who set the single-season touchdown record with 28.
LeBeau’s defensive maneuvering versus Seattle coach Mike Holmgren’s offensive verve in design, play calling and adjustments will be the guts of this Super Bowl.
“As with any great offensive play-caller, Mike’s approach is the product of much trial and error,” LeBeau said. “He is going to change personnel groupings on you a lot. He is going to spread you out and make you defend the whole field. He is always going to have a good running back there so that his offense is not one-dimensional. He is going to make you defend a variety of different plays and not give you a whole lot of time to think about it.”
And LeBeau is going to bring pressure.
From the edges and the middle, from linebackers and safeties and cornerbacks. And attempt to confuse Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck with a mixture of man and zone coverage behind it.
He has the players with the talent to pull it off. In linebacker Joey Porter and safety Troy Polamalu, he has two of the top five defensive players in the league. LeBeau will insert Polamalu at every level of the defense, at every angle and on every side. Polamalu is the epitome of what it takes to make the grade with LeBeau: toughness, smarts, dedication, discipline and respect for the opponent.
His players use practice to improve. The Pittsburgh defensive players fine each other $10 here, $20 there for dropped balls in practice and missed tackles and big-play touchdowns allowed.
They are coached by a man who has been involved in pro football for 47 years. A man who was a head coach, for the Bengals, from 2000 through 2002.
A defensive coordinator in his second stint in that role for Pittsburgh, he served the Steelers during their last Super Bowl appearance in 1996. He left. He returned, and here they are back in the Super Bowl.
This is not an accident.
“I like players who understand they have to let the last play go,” LeBeau said. “I don’t care about being short or tall, thin or slow, I like guys who are productive. What do they do at the snap of the ball? That’s what I look at.”
If his group smokes Seattle’s offense, would it lead to another head coaching job for Le-
Beau?
“I’ve done that,” LeBeau said. “I guess they would think I’m too old now. Sometimes it breaks your way. Sometimes it doesn’t. I would love to win this game by one more point than they have. That would be fine with me.”
In Motown for LeBeau, no less. Maybe the Steelers could swing a throwback shindig.
Shag carpet, anyone?
Staff writer Thomas Georgecan be reached at 303-820-1994 or tgeorge@denverpost.com.
