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Monday, June 16, 2003

Mark Bruener always has been one of the good guys. He's a throwback to an earlier time, a pure vanilla personality in an era when pistachio almond fudge royale is the flavor of the month. He has never cared about personal glory, and in that respect, he is unlike so many of his colleagues in professional sports. What's best for Mark Bruener always comes second to what's best for the team.

Eight years ago, he was the Steelers' No. 1 draft choice and came with the reputation of being a fine pass-catching tight end. Offensive coordinators came and went and promised to throw more to the tight end. None did, but Bruener never said a word and happily went about his job as starting tight end. In reality, he was little more than a sixth offensive lineman.

He loved it and became one of the best -- if not the best -- blocking tight ends in the NFL.

Bruener also became a fixture in the community. He has an in-season show on ESPN Radio, does a good deal of corporate speaking, is active in charity work and always is a stand-up guy in the locker room.

For all of this, for his eight seasons of solid production and exemplary behavior, the Steelers are not saying thanks. They are, instead, telling Bruener to take a $1.3 million pay cut -- $2,050,000 to $750,000 -- or face the prospect of being released.

Where's the loyalty?

Truth be known, there isn't any. Nor should there be. Professional sports is a cold, hard business, with enormous salaries and enormous profits and where the bottom line is winning. With so much money involved, anything and everything will be done to get there. Every NFL team has a long list of good and great players who were cut loose when their ability declined. This is even more true in the era of the salary cap.

Both sides -- owners and players -- have leverage at different times and both use it when they can. Bruener used his to land a new contract with a $3 million signing bonus in March 2002. The Steelers are using theirs now to get more room under the salary cap.

Bruener can accept the cut and remain on the team, but with no guarantee he'll make the 53-man roster in September, or refuse it, in which case there's an excellent chance he'll be cut. If he refuses the pay cut and is released, he might land a contract with another team. But at 30 -- 31 in September -- he's old for a tight end and he's coming off two seasons that ended early because of injuries that required surgery.

It's hard to find fault with the Steelers' decision. Their offense has shown signs of evolving into one where the pass has a higher priority. No question, they will attempt to run ball this year, but there's no guarantee -- with Jerome Bettis nearing the end of his career -- they can. If they can't, Bruener does not figure large in their plans.

If passing becomes their path to victory, Jay Riemersma will get the majority of the playing time. That's why he was signed as a free agent to a three-year, $4 million contract in March. Riemersma has never caught fewer that 25 passes in his six NFL seasons and caught 53 two years ago. Steelers tight ends, by contrast, caught only 18 balls last season. Bruener caught 26 as a rookie and never more than 19 after that.

It has been said the Steelers owe Bruener something because he has renegotiated his contract in the past to help the team fit its payroll under the salary cap. This is a fairly common practice in the NFL, and the players who do it are helping their teams, but they also are helping themselves. They are exchanging salary for signing bonus and don't lose money in the process.

The fact the Steelers are asking Bruener to take a pay cut can be interpreted as a positive sign. If they truly didn't want him, they would have released him. They were, in fact, widely expected to do just that. In addition to signing Riemersma, the Steelers also bestowed a new contract on Jerame Tuman, Bruener's backup, that was worth $3.3 million for three years and included a $600,000 signing bonus.

This offer is a sign that Bruener is nearing the end of his career and will likely have a reduced role with the team. It's also an indication they are prepared to go ahead without him.

Bruener should take the offer. He's a Steeler. Pittsburgh is his home. His wife, Traci, has earned a master's degree at Pitt. This is where he has put down roots. This is where he has the best chance of winning a Super Bowl ring.

To do otherwise would be a loss for Bruener, a loss for the Steelers and a loss for Pittsburgh.