The Pittsburgh made a surprising announcement on Thursday when they fired special-teams coach Al Everest. The timing seemed curious and even Everest couldn't see it coming, according to Pro Football Weekly.

It's highly unusual for teams to fire coaches in the middle of the preseason. When asked about the curious timing and whether he was surprised by the move, Everest said, "It was a surprise for me, but the bottom line is that it was about professional differences."

Everest was hired by the team prior to the 2010 season and was on the staff when it lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. Prior to that, he was a coach with the San Francisco 49ers.

Assistant special-teams coach Amos Jones will take over for Everest. He has been with the team since 2007.

Jones will be thrown into the action right away as the team plays Buffalo on Saturday night. The regular season begins in 16 days for Jones and the Steelers.

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