Pittsburgh Steelers fire Jack Bicknell Jr

The Pittsburgh Steelers have confirmed that they have fired offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr after just one season at the club.

Mike Tomlin's side struggled to protect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as they gave up 43 sacks in the 2013 season, leading to the decision to let Bicknell Jr go.

"I have decided to go in a different direction with respect to the coaching of our offensive line," Tomlin said in a statement.

"I want to thank Jack for his contributions during the 2013 season, and I wish him well in the future."

The Steelers narrowly missed out on the playoffs as the San Diego Chargers recorded a last-gasp win over the Kansas City Chiefs to eliminate Tomlin's side.