The Sports Xchange

PITTSBURGH — Sunday marks the first regular-season game for Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians against his former employer. Arians coached for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2004-11 and won two Super Bowls with the team after the ’05 and ’08 seasons.

“I’ve been there as a visitor there many times,” Arians said this week. “I’ve been in both those locker rooms, so it’s no big deal.”

Arians, who served as offensive coordinator for the Steelers from 2007-11, remains tight with Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger said he and Arians talk or text once a week, but he was not sure if that would happen this week.

There might not be many secrets on either side this week. Arians isn’t the only coach who will be going against his former team. Several coaches on Arians’ coached or played for the Steelers, including Tom Moore, Harold Goodwin, Amos Jones, Brenston Buckner, Larry Foote and Larry Zierlein.

Among the former Steelers players who are on Arizona’s roster are linebacker LaMarr Woodley and punter Drew Butler. No wonder Arizona is referred to as Pittsburgh West.

There is one former Arizona coach on the Steelers’ staff. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley was Arizona’s offensive coordinator when the Cardinals lost to the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. Haley coached for the Cardinals in 2007 and 2008.