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Will Allen: Cowboys had 'a very micromanaged atmosphere'

Former Cowboys safety Will Allen is back with the Steelers, and he compared the management within Dallas to Pittsburgh. It seems like he's happier where he is now.

By Neal Coolong

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Joe Sargent

It wasn't long ago the Dallas Cowboys signed former Steelers safety Will Allen, looking for him to bring some Pittsburgh to Big D.

Allen was benched after four games, and released after six. He's since signed with the Steelers, and had an interception and forced a fumble in Pittsburgh's Week 11 win over Detroit.

He was on Sirius XM NFL Radio Tuesday, suggesting, perhaps, he never should have left Pittsburgh in the first place. He even left a few subtle pointers for Cowboys' management.

"It was a very micromanaged atmosphere," Allen said, as transcribed by ESPN. "Everything was heightened. Everything was very tight. I didn't feel the relationship and the bonding between players and coaches. Maybe just the players. Or maybe just a few coaches and a few players."

He was singing the Steelers' praises when he left, he's still singing them now. It's fair to point out neither he nor starting free safety Ryan Clark have a contract next season, so perhaps it's a slight dab of wheel grease to help get his contract negotiations going after the season.

"Everybody's given a chance to prove themselves, given a chance to play together and the guys we truly sincerely believe in everyone," Allen said of the Steelers' organization. "The coaches believe in the players. The players believe in the coaches, and you just see this even path now. If guys are consistently not performing, you're not going to be on the field. Obviously you're not going to play. But everybody is encouraging, everybody is uplifting, everybody is pushing for everybody's best. That's what you want.

"We understand that it's a business, but football is a business. Winning is our business. But if we're not a team, if we're not together in it all, then we have nothing. That's the mindset in Pittsburgh."

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