Todd Haley has emerged on Cardinals shortlist of candidates

You can bet Ben Roethlisberger is all smiles this morning. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley has emerged as a candidate for the Arizona Cardinals head coaching job and indications are he’s a very serious candidate for the job.

Mike Jurecki of XTRA 910 Radio in Phoenix reports the Cardinals have asked the Steelers for permission to interview Haley. The Steelers are expected to grant permission.

Haley who had a down season in Pittsburgh, had been expected to be among the candidates on Arizona’s shortlist. Reports of the Cardinals being close to hiring Andy Reid are now false. Haley was the Cardinals offensive coordinator in 2007 and 2008. With Haley at the helm as offensive coordinator in 2008 and Kurt Warner at QB, the Cardinals were 4th in total offense that year and were 3rd in the NFL in scoring, averaging 26.7 points per game.

Haley hasn’t put together the same type of success in Pittsburgh, despite having Ben Roethlisberger at the helm. The Steelers ranked 21st in overall offense and were 22nd in the league in scoring, averaging 21 points per game.

Roethlisberger and Haley don’t have a horrible relationship on a personal level but Roethlisberger is not a fan by any means of the ball control offense/short passing game the Steelers have developed under Haley. To be blunt, he doesn’t like this offense.

Roethlisberger posted his lowest yards per attempt in five years, averaging just 7.27 yards per pass, an area that use to make Roethlisberger one of the best QB’s in the game.

Despite questions about whether this offense is ever going to be a great fit for this team, the Steelers have no intentions of making a change (perception is why) and the only way Haley isn’t back is if he takes another job.

However, I was told a few weeks ago that Mike Tomlin wouldn’t be losing any sleep if he left. Some (not ownership) actually hope it would happen as Tomlin could then elevate Kirby Wilson to OC.