National Football League

Miller: LeBeau is mad scientist of Pittsburgh defense

Published Jan. 28, 2009 9:36 p.m. ET

foxsports

Steelers defensive players dug into their pockets for $300 apiece to buy throwback vintage jerseys honoring Dick LeBeau, their defensive coordinator, a couple of years ago.

Year before last, the players pulled out those jerseys and wore them to the Hall of Fame exhibition game in Canton, Ohio. During the season, on the occasion of LeBeau's 70th birthday, his players presented him with a Rolex watch.

During the 2008 season, those players stood on the field during a driving rainstorm to help honor LeBeau commemorate his 50 years in the NFL.

"I would have stood out there for an hour and froze my butt off if I had to for that man," defensive end Aaron Smith said at the time.