It’s about time the Steelers got rid of this guy. The Pittsburgh Steelers have finally gotten rid of offensive coordinator Matt Canada in a very groundbreaking move for the franchise as their offense has completely floundered.
I know this is a very “un-Steelers” move, but it had to be done.
After weeks of being one of the league’s worst offenses and seeing their dark horse Super Bowl contender status ether away, the Pittsburgh Steelers have finally fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada as the offense has complete and fully flamed out. And, this really is surprising given the Steelers haven’t fired a coach mid-season in nearly a century!
Yes, you read that right. The last time the Pittsburgh Steelers fired a coach in the midst of a season was all the way back in the 1941 season where former (and I mean FORMER as it’s been 80+ years) Steelers coach and half owner Bert Bell fired himself during the season.
Just for further context, the 1941 season was the only time Bell stood on the sidelines as a head coach, the Steelers went 1-9-1 that year, and they gave up a then team-high 276 points against (that record would not be broken until the 1955 season) as they would fail to make the playoffs in 36 of the team’s first 37 seasons.
So, yes, Bell really should have butted out and stayed in the stands.
Anyways, the Steelers of today really aren’t much better in terms of their offensive stats as Pittsburgh currently ranks 31st in the league in terms of passing yards/game (170.0), 16th in the NFL in rushing yards/game (110.1), 28th in the NFL for points scored/game (16.6), 28th in the NFL for total yards gained/game (280.1), 31st in the NFL in 1st Downs gained this season (159), and Kenny Pickett has thrown for just 6 touchdowns and 1,722 yards this year.
In other words, the Steelers offenses is ATTROCIOUS! And that’s even more grave of a sin than it would be under normal circumstances as the Steelers defenses is one of the Top-10 best units in football and more than capable of winning a Super Bowl.
Seriously, this team is 6-4 IN SPITE of the offenses as the defense, led by T.J. Watt, Minkhah Fitzpatrick, Elandon Roberts, Alex Highsmith, Joey Porter Jr., Patrick Peterson, Cameron Heyword, etc., are in the Top-10 in the NFL in points allowed/game (7th), running yards allowed/game (10th), interceptions (11th), fumbles recovered (7th), total takeaways (4th), and the very best team in turnover differential (1st).
Obviously, the defense isn’t great in stopping the pass and they give up a good amount of yards/game, but this is a “bend but don’t break unit”. And they haven’t broken at all this season, despite their offenses giving them many valid opportunities to do so!
So, at the end of the day, Matt Canada NEEDED to be fired. He not only was one of the worst (and perhaps the worst) offensive coordinators in football these last three seasons as the Steelers never had a 400+ total scrimmage yard game with Canada as the OC (which is the 2nd longest streak in NFL history at 58 games), but he also was destroying Kenny Pickett as a viable starting quarterback in the NFL.
Now, there’s no indication that Pickett is even good enough to be a backup in the league, let alone a starter or franchise player, given how he’s never thrown for more than 10 touchdowns and 2,500 yards under center thus far, but there’s still enough time and room for Pickett to grow and be the Steelers next franchise quarterback. But that was never going to happen under Canada.
Canada was going to take Pickett and the Steelers down with him if he stayed any longer in the coordinator’s box, and Mike Tomlin knew it. And that’s why he broke and 80-year tradition and sent Canada…well, back to Canada (though, he’s actually from Indiana, but how could I not have a pun with that last name).
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