Matt Canada has been fired as Steelers offensive coordinator

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that offensive coordinator Matt Canada was fired two days after another game of offensive struggles for the Black and Gold. “I appreciate Matt’s hard work and dedication, and wish him the best in his career,” Tomlin said in a post on the Team X account, formerly known as Twitter. Canada, who joined the team in 2020 as quarterbacks coach, became offensive coordinator the following year. Tomlin said the OC position will be filled by two people: quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan and running backs coach Eddie Faulkner. Tomlin said expelling Canada was not an easy decision, but added that the NFL is a “results-oriented business.” “The improvements were not fast enough or consistent enough for us to move forward,” Tomlin said. “You’ve got to score points on this field, you’ve got to win games on this field. The whole thing has gotten us to where we are today.” Canada’s ejection comes after the latest in a series of games in which the Steelers’ offense has struggled to produce points. The Steelers fell to Cleveland 13-10 on Sunday. However, that dedication has not been enough to help Pittsburgh’s offense break out of the mold that has hampered the franchise in recent years. The Steelers (6-4) remain in playoff contention despite an offense that ranks 28th in yards and points. Frustration has been building outside the organization for months. Fans chanted “Fire Canada” during a win over Cleveland on Sept. 18, a refrain that has become ubiquitous across the region and meme-worthy on social media. While Tomlin has defended Canada for weeks, frustration within the locker room may have reached a breaking point. After the Steelers were held to 249 yards — including just 106 yards — against the Browns. Najee Harris said in the aftermath that he was “tired of this (stuff),” while wide receiver Deontae Johnson simply said, “I watched the game,” when asked what might have gone wrong. Perhaps most damning for Canada, midfielder Kenny Pickett’s growth has stalled. After being drafted in the first round in 2022, Pickett had a promising rookie season a year ago and showed flashes of being a difference-maker during the preseason this summer. All of that disappeared once the matches started being counted. Pickett has just six assists — just two since the start of October — and his accuracy has declined even after the Steelers moved Canada from the coach’s penalty box to the sideline recently in an effort to facilitate better communication and flow. While the decision was cheered by players during wins over Tennessee and Green Bay, the offense took another significant step backwards against the Browns. There was no immediate information on who would take over the play-calling duties, although quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan — who previously served as offensive coordinator at Tampa Bay and with the New York Giants — figures to be given the job on an interim basis. The decision comes as the Steelers prepare to begin a manageable stretch of their schedule. None of their next five opponents — Cincinnati (twice), New England, Arizona, and Indianapolis — are currently above .500. It’s possible that Pittsburgh simply needs a slight increase in production in its attempt to return to the playoffs after narrowly missing out a year ago. The emergence of the running game last winter fueled a 7-2 push that helped Canada retain his position. However, the strides Tomlin expected Pickett — and in turn the rest of the offense — to make in 2023 have not materialized on a consistent basis. The Steelers have been outgained in all 10 games this season, including last week in Cleveland when the Browns started rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback. Thompson-Robinson led Cleveland to a late game-winning drive, a drive that came after Pickett threw up three incompletions on Pittsburgh’s penultimate possession, none of which came close to his goal. While Tomlin said afterward that the team didn’t question his decision-making during the game, less than 48 hours later, he stepped forward and made a move that was likely inevitable but also surprising, if only because of the timing. Pittsburgh has long been a model of stability and rarely makes a coaching move during the season. But with Beckett seemingly retreating and options becoming increasingly limited, Tomlin decided there was only one big step left. This is an evolving story. Check back for updates.

(tags for translation) Steelers