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Wednesday has been quite the day for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fans arrived to work/school to see the following information coming from ESPN’s Adam Schefter regarding the potential hiring of offensive line coach Mike Munchak as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals:
Steelers’ OL coach Mike Munchak has turned down the chance for a second HC interviews with the Arizona Cardinals, per @mortreport. Munchak our and Patriots’ LB coach Brian Flores now in play.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 17, 2018
Fans were excited to see the experienced, and tremendous, coach reportedly staying in Pittsburgh after turning down a second interview. Then, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat writer Gerry Dulac added a wrinkle into the entire situation:
Mike Munchak is a "serious" candidate to become head coach in Arizona, per NFL source.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) January 17, 2018
With fans not knowing what to think of these conflicting reports, when Todd Haley was told he wouldn’t be brought back for next season as the offensive coordinator, some were curious if the two scenarios were somehow intertwined.
Could Munchak have turned down the Cardinals job after being promised the offensive coordinator position?
Did the Steelers offer Munchak more money, and/or a higher role on the team, if he wasn’t the next in line for the offensive coordinator position?
Is Dulac’s source correct, and Munchak is still being heavily considered for the Cardinals’ vacant head coaching position?
Or, is this possibly a negotiating ploy by Munchak’s representatives to possibly get more money from Arizona if they decide to pull the trigger on the deal?
Either way, this is one of the many situations which will be worth keeping an eye on as the Steelers’ young, but intense, offseason rolls on. Be sure to stay with BTSC for the latest on this story, as well as others surrounding the black-and-gold.