Dick LeBeau is resigning after 11 seasons as defensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

LeBeau was asked to step down by coach Mike Tomlin, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“I’m resigning. I’m not retiring,” LeBeau, 77, told the Post-Gazette. “It was a lot of great days, a lot of great years. It’s time to go in a different direction.”

LeBeau, who has been in the NFL for 56 years as a player and coach and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2010, spent two stints with the Steelers and is the architect of the zone blitz that has been popular among 3-4 teams in the NFL for years.

During LeBeau’s 13 years running the Steelers’ defense (1995-96 and 2004-14), his defenses ranked No. 1 five times and in the top five 10 times.

Linebackers coach Keith Butler is expected to replace LeBeau. Butler, a former NFL linebacker, has been with the Steelers since 2003 and has been groomed to take over the defensive coordinator role.