Lodged as the new offensive coordinator of the Browns, Todd Haley left Pittsburgh under a cloud of whispers over his fraught relationship with Ben Roethlisberger.
On Wednesday, the Steelers quarterback took the high road while unpacking his six seasons with Haley.
"We had a great run, very successful when he was here," Roethlisberger told NFL Network's Jane Slater during preparation for the Pro Bowl in Orlando. "Just thankful for the opportunity I had to play with him and be a part of that offense and now we have to face him twice a year. So we'll see how that goes."
"The relationship has been strained so much," NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport noted last week on NFL Network, that the Steelers were forced to bring assistant Randy Fichtner down to the sideline "to serve as a conduit" between Roethlisberger and Haley.
Fichtner's ties to Roethlisberger paid off, with the quarterbacks coach being elevated to the role of offensive coordinator in the wake of Haley's exodus.
Roethlisberger isn't Fichtner's only fan, with star running back Le'Veon Bell telling NFL.com's Kevin Patra after Wednesday's Pro Bowl practice, "I like Randy a lot. Obviously, I feel like I've been with him since I first started. I'm comfortable with Randy. I'm sure he's excited for the position and I'm excited to have him."
As for Haley, he now joins a Browns franchise that has managed a ridiculous 2-22 record against Roethlisberger. Revenge -- if that's what this is -- won't come easy.
