Ben Roethlisberger calls for Steelers to shift direction after Mike Tomlin steps aside

Shortly after the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs, longtime coach Mike Tomlin stepped down, sending shockwaves across the NFL.

"While this chapter comes to a close, my respect and love for the Pittsburgh Steelers will never change. I am excited for what the future holds for this organization, and I will forever be grateful for my time coaching in Pittsburgh," Tomlin said last week in a statement.

Tomlin’s decision pushed the Steelers, a franchise that has had just three head coaches since the 1969 season, into a rare coaching search. With Art Rooney II and Omar Khan leading the search, the Steelers have begun interviewing candidates. 

Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has publicly weighed in on the team’s direction.

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While the Steelers have traditionally focused on coaches with defensive backgrounds, Roethlisberger wants to see an offensive-minded coach get an opportunity to take the reins. 

"I would strongly consider a couple things ... my first thought is, I want an offensive-minded head coach," the Super Bowl winner said on "Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger."

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"That's what I would do if I was the general manager. We've had defensive-minded coaches in here, that's what they've all been, I'm ready for an offensive guy, I want to score more than six points in a postseason game. I would love a younger, offensive-minded head coach, a (Sean) McVay-ish, a Ben Johnson-ish who would focus on the offense and hopefully would be successful enough that you could keep here ... the next long-term coach."

Roethlisberger said an offensive-minded head coach should be paired with a veteran defensive coordinator, pointing to Jim Schwartz and Vic Fangio as options.

Roethlisberger also backed former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy as a candidate for the Steelers job.

"My next choice would literally be Mike McCarthy," Roethlisberger said. "Mike McCarthy is an offensive veteran coach with Pittsburgh ties, he understands the Steeler way, what it means to be a Steeler and the Rooney family and how it works. Lot of respect for him. He could bring a younger coordinator or whatever to help. The potential downside for that is how long would he keep coaching for? I don't know."

"The potential positive side of coming in here would be the potential of Aaron Rodgers coming back," Roethlisberger said. "They have a relationship together. I assume it's good enough. They won a Super Bowl together. You could bring his offense in. Aaron would know the offense and feel super comfortable in an offense he knows."

Aaron Rodgers finished his first season in Pittsburgh with 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Steelers survived against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 to claim the AFC North and clinch the final postseason spot.

While it remains unclear whether Rodgers will return to Pittsburgh for 2026, pursue another team or opt to retire, Roethlisberger expressed support for seeing the four-time league MVP play for the Steelers next season.

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Barron Trump reportedly saved woman's life after witnessing violent assault on FaceTime call

A woman who said she was violently attacked by her ex-boyfriend last year told a London court that her friend Barron Trump unexpectedly saved her life after she managed to call him during the assault, United Kingdom media outlet Metro reported Wednesday.

After answering the FaceTime call and witnessing the alleged assault, the 19-year-old son of President Donald Trump reportedly contacted emergency operators, prompting UK police to respond to the scene on Jan. 18, 2025, shortly after 2 a.m. local time.

The woman, who cannot be named, reportedly claimed that her former Russian partner, 22-year-old Matvei Rumianstev, of east London, was jealous of her friendship with Trump. 

She added that she was raped on the day she called Trump and alleged that her ex-boyfriend, who first became violent six months into their relationship, had a history of assaulting her, including stranglings, Metro said, citing hearings at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

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According to bodycam footage from the day of the alleged attack, Trump was heard over the phone telling officials, "I just saw a ceiling and could hear screaming. I could see a guy’s head on the phone, and then the camera turns to her crying and getting hit."

Trump, who reportedly attempted to call his friend for a casual conversation before finally receiving a callback, said the call lasted only 10 to 15 seconds, after which he contacted the authorities.

According to the 999 emergency call played in court, Trump reportedly said, "I just got a call from a girl I know. She’s getting beaten up."

After giving them her address, he emphasized that, "It’s really an emergency, please. I got a call from her with a guy beating her up."

When police arrived, the woman identified their anonymous caller as Trump, explaining, "I am friends with Barron Trump, Donald Trump’s son."

An officer was later heard on bodycam footage telling a colleague, "So apparently, this informant from America is likely to be Donald Trump’s son," he said. "This female is friends with Donald Trump’s son. She was on a Facetime with him when this assault happened, and he’s called us."

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To confirm to the police, the woman called Trump again, asking, "Hello, Barron, did you call the police or anything?"  

"I had someone call the police," Trump said. "I called you guys, that was the best thing I could do. I wasn’t going to call back and threaten things to him because that would just make the situation worse."

During her testimony, the woman said Trump "helped save my life. That call was like a sign from God at that moment."

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The trial between Trump’s friend and Rumianstev remains ongoing. 

While Rumianstev has denied the allegations, the woman said she has been repeatedly attacked and sexually abused, including being raped in November 2024 and on January 18. She also alleged that Rumianstev has been pressuring her to withdraw her complaints.

The Russian defendant, of New Providence Wharf, east London, has denied assault, actual bodily harm, two counts of rape, intentional strangulation and perverting the course of justice.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for more information.

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