Reaction to Today's Hottest Issue for Every AFC North Team, 2/9 Edition

The NFL season may be over, but that doesn't mean the news slows down. With the combine, free agency and NFL draft looming, there are storylines popping up every day.

Here are my takes on the biggest stories in the AFC North for today, Feb. 9, 2012.

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin Reportedly Against Hiring Todd Haley

Newly-hired Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley held his first official press conference today, but hours before the noon Eastern time event, reports were surfacing about the process that ultimately ended in his hiring.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ron Cook explains that the decision to remove former OC Bruce Arians and interviewing and then hiring Haley came directly from team president Art Rooney II, effectively trumping the desires of head coach Mike Tomlin to keep Arians around.

The report further states that Tomlin had told members of the Steelers staff that Arians would return for the 2012 season, but Rooney II made the moves without Tomlin's input.

ProFootballTalk.com's Mike Florio reportedly heard whispers at the Super Bowl that intimated Tomlin didn't want Haley to be coordinator.

Whether this is the first step in pitting owner against coach is unknown. However, Tomlin's contract with the Steelers is up after the 2012 season (there's an option for the 2013 season).

Though the organization will likely try to sign him to a longer-term contract, Tomlin might be fed up with Rooney's intrusion on his decision-making process. If true, and if he and Haley appear to be at odds this year, Tomlin may look for a way out.

The Cleveland Browns Hire Brad Childress to Be Offensive Coordinator, Marking a Philadelphia Reunion

Brad Childress has made his way back onto a coaching staff, joining the Cleveland Browns as their new offensive coordinator.

He and head coach Pat Shurmur were on the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff together under Andy Reid, with Shurmur a position coach and Childress the offensive coordinator.

Speaking to Vic Carucci of ESPN 850 WKNR on Wednesday night, Browns team president Mike Holmgren had nothing but praise for Childress, saying, "He’s an excellent football coach; a very, very bright guy who knows how to coach quarterbacks. He’s a tough guy. He demands a lot."

Childress' biggest task will be determining the future of quarterback Colt McCoy; the Browns may choose to add a veteran free agent, or perhaps even make a play for Baylor's Robert Griffin III in April's draft.

Rod Woodson May Join the Cincinnati Bengals Staff as Secondary Coach

Though Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is in no hurry to find a replacement for secondary coach Kevin Coyle, who left the team to be the Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator, a top candidate appears to be Rod Woodson.

Woodson and Lewis have a long history. Lewis was the secondary coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers when Woodson was playing cornerback for the team. When Lewis left to become the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, Woodson joined him on the roster.

And in 2010, Woodson was a coaching intern for the Bengals during training camp before going on to coach the Oakland Raiders corners in the 2011 season.

There's no set timetable for when the Bengals will fill the vacancy, but it wouldn't be surprising if Woodson ultimately ends up with the job considering his long history working with Lewis.

New Baltimore Ravens DC Dean Pees Under Major Pressure to Succeed

The Baltimore Ravens consistently field one of the top defenses in the league year after year, resulting in what is referred to as the "Ray Lewis coaching tree," where Ravens defensive coordinators find themselves with head coaching jobs thanks to the success of the players they coached.

Such is the case with Chuck Pagano, the Ravens DC in 2011, who left to become the Indianapolis Colts head coach last month. He's been replaced by Dean Pees, the team's former linebackers coach.

Under Pagano, the Ravens went from dead last in sacks in 2010 to having the most in the AFC in 2011. Pees will need to keep the defense performing at as high of a level in 2012 if he is to keep the job.

However, if he outperforms Pagano's lone season in Baltimore, Pees could also be a one-and-done coordinator, finding himself with a head coaching position in 2013—at least if history is any indicator.

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