Steelers Fire Hostile Facilitator Matt Canada In The Midst Of Fourth Season With Group

(CTN News) – With the Steelers’ offense incapable of discovering a start, Pittsburgh at last pulled the plug on the Matt Canada experience.

The Steelers formally let go of Matt Canada on Tuesday after fair over two and a half seasons as hostile coordinator.

“I did not come to this choice lightly,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told columnists on Tuesday, per ESPN.com. “It’s my part to assimilate and ensure those that I work with. This doesn’t feel like that. I’m not relegating fault or avoiding it in any way. …Fair rest guaranteed that this choice was not taken softly. I’ve got a parcel of regard for Matt actually and professionally.”

Steelers quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan and running backs coach Eddie Faulkner will share the facilitator obligations within the wake of Matt Canada’s termination, NFL Arrange Insiders Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero reported.

Faulkner is anticipated to require over as between times OC, and Sullivan, who has past facilitator encounters with the Unused York Monsters and Tampa Cove Buccaneers, will handle the play-calling.

Tomlin affirmed Tuesday that Faulker and Sullivan would share OC obligations which Matt Canada terminating his call.

“It was mine and mine alone,” Tomlin told correspondents.
Canada joined the Steelers in 2020 as quarterbacks coach and was promoted to OC in 2021 to replace Randy Fichtner. Canada, a longtime anti-school champion, was expected to modernize Pittsburgh’s offense by utilizing movement and improving passing operations.

The Steelers got knock-off pitches that required similar cohesiveness, occasional deep impacts on defense, and consistency across the board.

In 44 games as OC, the Steelers never ranked higher than 23rd in yards allowed and 21st in possessions for Canada. In 2023, Pittsburgh currently ranks 28th in yards and is focused. The passing game, especially with Kenny Pickett under center, has been fierce, with Pittsburgh ranking 31st in yards and TDs and 31st in passing TDs in 2023 (32nd in passing TDs last season).

The Steelers managed less than 400 total yards on 58 consecutive tackles, including Matt Canada total run as play caller.

Sunday’s 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns was brutal. The Steelers gained 64 total yards in the first half, including 15 net passing yards. It was the second time this season that the Steelers had zero points and fewer than 70 yards in the first half due to deflections. In terms of deflections, Pittsburgh had 77 net passing yards, the fewest since Devlin Hodges played under center in Week 17 of 2019.

“There’s a lot of layers to it,” Tomlin said of the timing of his decision to leave Matt Canada. “Our final decision may be part of that. I think we know when to be short with our answers.

Again, I’m not saying this lightly and I’m not saying this lightly and I’m not saying this lightly. I don’t take it lightly, but to be honest, the part I’ve been in for a while now, you know when you’re going to be there. It’s a combination of a lot of variables.”

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