What Ike Taylor's New Role with Steelers Means for Future of Team's Secondary

Veteran Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor officially announced his retirement on Tuesday after 12 years in the NFL, all with Pittsburgh.

An unrestricted free agent following the 2014, Taylor never had designs on playing anywhere else, saying to the Steelers' official website that "I wasn't cut, I wasn't released. It was just my contract was up and it was time to retire. If you want to have pride, well that is the kind of pride I have, being able to play my contract out...From the time I walked in the door until the time I left, this is where I wanted to be."

That doesn't mean his time with the Steelers organization has come to a close.

Taylor has been preparing for the inevitable moment of his retirement since the end of the 2014 season, as well as planning for his future.

In January, he said on TribLive Radio (via Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) that "As far as the Steelers organization, it doesn't have to be with the cleats anymore. I can be in the office. I can be at the bottom and work my way up. I can be an assistant. I don't mind working my way from the bottom up."

Indeed, that appears Taylor's next step—that and television. Taylor, according to Kaboly, will be working with the NFL Network and NFL Films in the coming weeks. But after that, it's onto coaching, with Taylor joining the Steelers as a coaching intern for their upcoming OTAs training camp.

Taylor has long had an affinity for taking on a mentorship role with younger Steelers defensive backs. In 2014, Taylor spent most of the season on the sideline healing a broken forearm. But seeing his teammates on the field without him didn't make him bitter. In fact, it made him downright giddy.

In January, Taylor said: 

"

Just watching my young guys go from third, fourth and fifth guys on the depth chart to first, second and third guys on the depth chart, that's exciting, just seeing these young guys grow and make plays in game. I'm the coach, dad, player role. I'm the big-brother role. I'm whatever you need off the field role. If you need anything on the field before the game hey I'm going to Wal-Mart. That's just the kind of bond we have.

"

That joy he felt watching his teammates make plays will now be translated to the coaching arena. And given his vast amount of on-field experience and dedication to the Steelers' organization, he'll be an invaluable resource to Pittsburgh's young cornerbacks.

Only one, William Gay, is over the age of 30 and the Steelers are also expected to add at least one corner via the draft this year. It will be one of Taylor's duties as a coaching intern to get these young players, especially the rookies, ready for the rigors of the NFL field.

This is not new territory for Taylor and his comments are not just lip service to his interest in making Pittsburgh's cornerbacks better players.

Former Steelers and current New Orleans Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis credited Taylor for his mentorship and had this to say about Taylor on his Instagram feed (via The Times-Picayune): "I love this guy to death. Showed me how to play the game, showed me how to face [adversity]. Showed me how to handle my business like a man. Love ya bro. One of the best cornerbacks to ever play the game."

Taylor was also called upon by Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to help dig fellow cornerback Cortez Allen out of a particularly rough stretch that saw Allen first demoted and then benched last season, given that Taylor had faced similar adversity. Again, this was a role that Taylor embraced.

Gene J.Puskar/Associated Press

Taylor can do more than help players through on- and off-field struggles, however. He can also help instill in them the same passion he had for playing for the Steelers, a cheerleader mindset that helped him have a long and productive career in Pittsburgh. Taylor has nothing but praise for the organization, saying this week that "The Steelers speak for themselves. When you talk about the Steelers, you talk about success."

While Taylor's presence on the coaching staff may not improve the team's lot in 2015, given the uncertainty that currently exists at both cornerback and safety—uncertainty that has long been looming, with neither Taylor nor Troy Polamalu expected back well before the pair announced their retirements within days of each other.

But Taylor not only knows how to play the cornerback position, he knows how to play it at a high level for a long time, and for the Steelers and the Steelers alone. Thus, there may be no better defensive back to help Pittsburgh's younger players master their positions.