Steelers fire special teams coordinator

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Steelers special teams coordinator Bob Ligashesky has become the second assistant coach fired by coach Mike Tomlin in as many days.

Ligashesky lost his job Thursday following a poor season by the Steelers’ kick coverage units. They allowed four kickoff return touchdowns, matching the 1998 Vikings for the most permitted by any team since 1994.

The Steelers ranked 30th in kickoff coverage and 24th in punt return coverage.

Ligashesky, a former Pitt assistant, joins offensive line coach Larry Zierlein in being fired since the Steelers (9-7) failed to make the playoffs a season after winning the Super Bowl. Quarterbacks coach Ken Anderson also decided to retire.

Until this week, Tomlin had made no changes to his coaching staff since it was assembled in 2007.

The Steelers will play division champions New England, New Orleans and Cincinnati in 2010, based on the NFL’s scheduling formula.

The Steelers play home and away against AFC North rivals Cincinnati (10-6) Baltimore (9-7) and Cleveland (5-11).

They also will play the four AFC East teams: New England (10-6), the New York Jets (9-7, Miami (7-9) and Buffalo (6-10).

Under the NFL’s interconference rotation, they will meet New Orleans (13-3), Atlanta (9-7), Carolina (8-8) and Tampa Bay (3-13) of the NFC South.

The Steelers will meet third-place teams from the other two AFC divisions, Oakland (5-11) and Tennessee (8-8). Six opponents will be holdovers, including Miami, Oakland and Tennessee.

The NFL will announce sites and dates in April.

Running back Isaac Redman and six other members of the Steelers’ practice squad have been added to the team’s offseason roster.

Also signed were tight end Eugene Bright, wide receiver Jason Chery, safety Tuff Harris, defensive tackle Steve McClendon, running back Justin Vincent and cornerback Trae Williams.

Second-year defensive tackle Scott Paxson and first-year kicker Piotr Czech also were added to the roster. Paxson, from Penn State, spent time on the active roster and practice squad from 2006-08.

Czech was cut by the Steelers last summer and by the Ravens during their 2008 training camp. Steelers kicker Jeff Reed is not signed for next season.