Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks coach Ken Anderson is retiring.
Steelers QB coach Ken Anderson retires
Anderson initially contemplated retiring last summer, then told coach Mike Tomlin following the Steelers‘ season-ending 30-24 victory Sunday in Miami that he was leaving. Anderson was an NFL player or coach for 33 seasons and is one of 25 semifinalists this year for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Anderson, 60, is the first member of Tomlin’s original staff in 2007 to leave.
Anderson won four NFL passing titles as a Cincinnati Bengals quarterback from 1971-86 and still holds numerous club passing records. After spending six years as a sportscaster, he was a Bengals assistant coach for 10 seasons before spending four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“The decision came this morning,” said Anderson. “I wanted to talk to Mr. (Dan) Rooney before he left to go back to Ireland. I wanted to talk to Coach (Mike) Tomlin about it. Charlie (Batch) came in and I talked to him. I think they knew I was leaning towards this.”
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Anderson leaves following a season where quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had his best year statistically, throwing for 4,328 yards, but just felt the time was right to call it a day.
“I have been doing it for a long time,” said Anderson. “You try to make a decision that is best for you and your family. You weigh pros and cons. You go through a lot. At the end of the day it just comes down to I am ready for it.”
“I told Mr. Rooney I have a lot of black and gold in my veins and that isn’t going away. When I want to come back to a game and sit in the stands and root them on I hope they don’t forget who I am and help me out and get me a ticket.”
Anderson has a lifetime of memories from being in the NFL to take with him into retirement, but his time with the Steelers is something that he will treasure.
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