After Matt Canada spent Monday preparing for the Steelers’ Week 12 game against the Bengals, Mike Tomlin informed him Tuesday morning he would not finish out his third season as offensive coordinator. This marked historically rare territory for the Steelers, who had not fired a head coach or coordinator in-season in 82 years.
Steelers players had voiced frustrations about the offense for weeks behind the scenes, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, and Najee Harris‘ public comments came days before Canada’s ouster (subscription required). While the team was united on keeping Canada during September and October, the run of poor performances on offense eventually led to the course change.
Regarding whose call this truly was, conflicting reports have come out. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac indicated Art Rooney II made this decision, while Mike Tomlin said Tuesday he was behind the call. The 17th-year coach taking responsibility is certainly on-brand, though The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly expresses doubt Tomlin truly decided to break with tradition and fire Canada. That said, Russini offers that it was indeed the veteran HC’s decision — after multiple discussions with Rooney — that produced the shakeup.
Calls for Canada’s firing came down last year and intensified this season. Tomlin gave Canada a third year, doing so after Kenny Pickett showed some promise late last season. The 2022 first-round pick has struggled this year and will enter Week 12 with just seven touchdown passes. The Steelers have been outgained in all 10 of their games, and they have not produced a 400-yard offensive game since Week 2 of the 2020 season.
Pickett’s close relationship with QBs coach and new play-caller Mike Sullivan did not affect this decision, Tomlin said. Sullivan worked as mostly a non-play-calling OC during his two-season Giants tenure. Though, he finished the 2017 campaign calling the shots for the Eli Manning-piloted offense, with Ben McAdoo being fired late in that season. Sullivan called plays for the Buccaneers from 2012-13. As the wheels began to come off for Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay ranked 13th and 30th offensively during Sullivan’s two seasons; the second came as the team transitioned to rookie Mike Glennon at QB.
The Steelers promoted their QBs coach to OC in 2021 (Canada) and 2018 (Randy Fichtner). Todd Haley was the team’s last outside hire for the position. Running backs coach Eddie Faulkner is the interim OC, though his lack of play-calling responsibilities do not point to long-term consideration here. Sullivan would seem the likelier candidate for the gig, based on his role and the team’s history. If the Steelers opt to go outside the organization, Kaboly adds Byron Leftwich has expressed interest in the job. The former Bucs OC made his interest known before Canada’s firing.
Leftwich would technically be an outside hire, but he has a past with the Steelers. He served as a Ben Roethlisberger reserve in 2008 and from 2010-12, joining longtime backup Charlie Batch in a deep QB room. Leftwich made one start for the Steelers, in 2012. The former QB spent four seasons as Tampa Bay’s OC. Despite Bruce Arians being an offense-oriented HC, he gave Leftwich the play-calling reins. This setup helped the Bucs win a Super Bowl in Tom Brady‘s first season and the ageless legend led the NFL in TD passes (43) and yards (5,316) in 2021. Brady and Todd Bowles expressed dissatisfaction with Leftwich last season, however, and the Bucs canned him in January.
Leftwich, 43, interviewed for the Ravens’ OC job this offseason but is not currently coaching. Although Rooney may or may not have insisted Tomlin fire Canada, Dulac adds the longtime HC will be the one who selects the next OC. Though, ownership will obviously need to approve Tomlin’s pick.
I think Art pressured Tomlin to fire Canada and could be a sign that Art is getting just as frustrated with Tomlin (I hope). If so, it’ll be interesting to watch the rest of the season for the end record because maybe Tomlin’s job is finally riding on it as it should be. Steeler fans are getting sick of having all this talent and nothing to show for it except mediocre performance on the field (and I’m being generous).
Someone commented here that since AFC N is down 2 out of 4 QB1, most likely Mike will still be above .500 and then promptly lose again in the playoffs. Probably right.
Agree that Rooney pushed this. After all, he was the one that hired Canada, a safe addition that wouldn’t butt heads with Tomlin
Guess my concerns are two-fold. One, how is anything really going to change? The o-line is bad and Pickett hasn’t shown he can throw deep or over the middle. And truthfully, he’s scared in the pocket. Suddenly, he’s going to put it all together?
Secondly, Tomlin has a hand in everything here. Canada wasn’t the lone wolf where game schemes and play calling was concerned. Seems apparent that where the pass game is concerned, they know Pickett’s liabilities and planned accordingly. There’s a reason for these play calls after 22 games and it’s not because Canada was a blithering moron
I’m betting that while the locker room rumblings cost Canada his job, there are just as many concerns about Pickett
I agree that Pickett may not be the guy. I agree his O-line isn’t great, but it doesn’t help when our playbook hasn’t changed since Haley was OC and the other teams’ defenses can call out our plays and stuff them.
Im not sure exactly what Tomlin or doesn’t do as head coach anymore. Some say he’s a coaching genius, but you see the players’ bad behavior/lack of discipline, the lack of time management in games, the inability to change the game plan or adjust during games and poor overall execution of whatever game plan they supposedly have and you get visions of Tomlin as a British general during WWI ordering frontal assault after frontal assault into the teeth of enemy fire with massive casualties resulting everytime.
Agree 100%. I was a Tomlin fan initially. But everything you make note of just soured me and while I thought his answers to questions back in the olden days was unique, I look at them as boorish and arrogant
Said this on another thread but while Warren is a quick burst type, Najee never was going back to Alabama. And that’s fine. Neither was Leveon Bell. Problem is that all too often, Harris gets the ball just as 2-3 d-linemen or linebackers are getting him. Can’t blame him for being frustrated
Actually think Haley’s game planning was much better than anything we’ve seen since Arians. Canada, Fichtner—ugh.
Just don’t think this kid leading them is the answer. Hope he proves me wrong
Get a grip on reality!! And stop living in the past son!! Pickett is the answer at QB he just needs direction and the OC wasn’t it. Steelers will be fine stop being a fan boy ok kid!!
I brought up Byron when this happen…It would be a terrible move. He isn’t creative, but he has ties to the franchise so probably has a leg up.
Hire a real OC. Tomlin had his best chance at getting another chip whe Haley was in town. Hire a REAL OC. A named guy.
If he doesn’t and 2024 is a midling showing, move on from Tomlin. No extensions for this guy who has ridden past performance to the bank for years now.