Steelers’ captain Faneca takes a hike

By Darrell Laurant  |   Friday, May 25, 2007  |  Comments( 10 )

Pittsburgh Steelers
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In a way, the Pittsburgh Steelers can blame Langston Walker and Derrick Dockery -- or, at least, their agents -- for their own Alan Faneca problem.

Offensive linemen Walker and Dockery signed with the Buffalo Bills as free agents over the winter, getting piles of money in return. Walker's contract called for $25 million over five years, while Dockery got $49 million for seven years, $18.5 guaranteed, plus a $13 million signing bonus.

So you're Alan Faneca, and you're thinking, "I'm supposed to be one of the best -- if not the best -- guards in the NFL, and I'm making $3.5 million a year. What's wrong with this picture?"

Faneca will be a free agent next year, but he wanted the Steelers to rework his contract prior to the 2007 season. The team did, indeed, offer him an extension, but Faneca's agent, Rick Smith, said it "fell short of expectations."

That's how it started, and things went downhill from there. Faneca, never shy around the media (he was given the annual "Chief" award by the Pittsburgh beat writers last year for being the most accessible Steeler), felt he was being disrespected, and he said so in print. New Steeler coach Mike Tomlin then supposedly called Faneca out when the Steelers' organized team activities (OTAs) began for being a distraction.

Of course, he is the team captain, although Faneca has said he doesn't want that honorary position anymore. He's also vowed to stay away from the voluntary offseason workouts and asked to be traded.

Besides his concerns about money, Faneca was disappointed when Tomlin replaced Bill Cowher as head coach instead of longtime Steelers offensive line coach Russ Grimm. Nevertheless, there's nothing he can do about switching teams until next year.

"My guess is, they're not going to trade me," Faneca told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Losing Faneca would be major for the Steelers, because the nine-year veteran is the glue that holds a young O-line together. Taken in the first round out of LSU in 1999, he has made the Pro Bowl every year since 2002. The Steelers have been his only pro team.

Last season, the 6-foot-5, 307-pounder slipped a little in pass protection but continued to be one of the top run blockers in the game. He is the only left guard currently listed on the Steelers' roster, with Kendall Simmons the starter on the other side.

Meanwhile, while Faneca stays out of the OTAs, it will mean work and exposure for Chris Kemoeatu, the massive (6-3, 344) Hawaiian who serves as Faneca's de facto backup -- except that Faneca hardly ever gets hurt.

Only his feelings.

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CommentsComments: 10  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Jimmy		08:17 AM
05/25/2007
Faneca is an excellent player. Still, the Steelers simply don't pay their players most of the time. So, expect Faneca to be gone...
No.2
Nate		12:13 PM
05/25/2007
Why exactly did the writer single out Dockery and Walker for this article without mentioning Steinbach who got a bigger contract...
No.3
jj		12:19 PM
05/25/2007
Langston Walker 25 million they got to be out of their mind. This guy was a "major" part of the 72 sacks given up by the Raider...
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