Nov 16, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau looks on a against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 40-17. Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Dick LeBeau, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will not be retained as the Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator, perhaps ending a legendary NFL career that has spanned 59 seasons.
New Titans coach Mike Vrabel, formerly the defensive coordinator with the Houston Texans, is in the midst of putting together his coaching staff. He was introduced at a press conference Monday.
A source told The Tennessean newspaper last week that LeBeau likely would be “comfortable retiring if it doesn’t work out in Tennessee.”
LeBeau, 80, has been the Titans for the past three seasons, including defensive coordinator for the past two. He began his coaching career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1973 and did two stints as defensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1995-96 and 2004-2014), helping win two Super Bowls.
LeBeau went 12-33 as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals from 2000 to 2002.
He is best known as being the architect of the zone blitz, which he introduced and then popularized in the early 1990s as a counter-attack to the NFL’s increasingly precision passing games.
LeBeau was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 for his 14-season playing career as a cornerback with the Detroit Lions. He finished with 62 interceptions, having 12 consecutive seasons with at least three picks.
A fifth-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 1959, LeBeau was cut during training camp before signing with the Lions.
