St. Louis ? St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan had job security for next season before Thursday night’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A third season might not be such a certainty, though, after wide receiver Torry Holt uncharacteristically gave Linehan a piece of his mind near the end of the game.

Holt, the team’s lone Pro Bowl representative, is a team leader who usually emphasizes the sunny side, but not this time. He was caught by TV cameras yelling at Linehan after Ike Taylor’s 51-yard interception for a touchdown on a fourth-and-10 play put the game out of reach.

Linehan downplayed the exchange after the game, saying it was not a “big deal” and was said in the “heat of the battle.”

He stuck to that story on Friday.

“When you’re sitting here at 3-12, I’m the first one to say everything’s not all that pleasant,” Linehan said. “No one likes losing. Exactly what I said last night is what I say today and I’ll say tomorrow.

“You can ask me that question any way you want and I’ll have the same opinion on it.”

Rams president John Shaw said on Dec. 10 that Linehan would be back, and that it was unfair to judge job performance because the team has had so many injuries. The Rams have 11 players on injured reserve, including three offensive line starters and top pass rusher Leonard Little.

Shaw was en route to Los Angeles and did not immediately return a telephone message from The Associated Press.

Holt declined to comment Thursday and was unavailable on Friday, a day off for players. Players also have the weekend off, with the next practice set for Monday.

The Rams began the year with eight straight losses before winning three of four, but they’ve lost three in a row entering the season finale next Sunday at Arizona.

A former first-round pick, Holt has been a key member of offenses that produced two Super Bowl berths in a three-year stretch from 1999-2001. He’s finishing off his eighth consecutive 1,000-yard season despite persistent problems with his right knee coming off arthroscopic surgery last February.

The Rams had closed the gap to one touchdown in the third quarter before fading. They’ve been outscored 130-40 in the fourth quarter this season.

Holt has only five catches the last two weeks, but offensive coordinator Greg Olson, who is in the booth on game day, didn’t think that was a factor in his disgruntlement.

“I think it’s more born out frustration for a 3-12 season,” Olson said. “No one’s used to that.”