Steelers' Chukwuma Okorafor Was Seething At Matt Canada For His Horrific Play Calling Resulting In His Strong Comments (Steelers News)
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Steelers' Chukwuma Okorafor Was Seething At Matt Canada For His Horrific Play Calling Resulting In His Strong Comments

Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
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Things are getting weirder and weirder with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the situation surrounding right tackle, Chukwuma Okorafor. The sixth-year lineman was benched for the Week 9 matchup with the Tennessee Titans. As a result, the team moved first-round rookie Broderick Jones to the right side for his second career start. The team hasn’t exactly been transparent about what exactly happened with Okorafor, however.

Steelers Left Tackle Chukwuma Okorafor (#76) is up for the position battle in 2023

JORDAN SCHOFIELD / STEELERNATION (TWITTER: @JSKO_PHOTO)

Steelers right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor (#76) has started 61 career games in Pittsburgh, but now, he finds himself on the bench.

They aren’t required to disclose the details by any means, but we’ve gotten no more than labeling it a “disciplinary issue.” In his press conference on Tuesday, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin refused to get into any specifics on the situation. Longtime beat reporter Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has given some specifics as to just what happened with Okorafor.

"After the Steelers rushed for 70 yards on 18 carries [against the Jacksonville Jaguars], Okorafor was upset the offense was using the same plays, despite trailing the entire game, including 17-3 in the third quarter. It is unclear to whom Okorafor directly vented his anger and what else might have been said or done. But apparently it was such an outburst that his actions were referred to as 'significant' by Tomlin, a rare public admission by the Steelers coach."


Essentially, that sounds like an indirect critique of Matt Canada’s play-calling and/or the coaching staff overall. On Thursday, it was reported by Dejan Kovacevic that Okorafor suggested the team should have just kneeled it and let the clock run out when they were down 10 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8. Tomlin caught wind of the comments and disciplined him accordingly. Now Kovacevic and Dulac's reports are two very different scenarios.

Steelers George Pickens Cody White

Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)

Steelers' George Pickens takes a break during the team's 2023 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.

Regardless, none of this seems to be as serious as the media is making it out to be. Again, there could (and likely is) much more to the story than Dulac reports. From Okorafor’s point of view, it’s hard not to look at how the team has handled wide receiver George Pickens in the past few weeks. Despite multiple different incidents, Tomlin and Canada have essentially downplayed the young wideout's actions.


Are Steelers Being Too Easy On Pickens?

Like "a pebble in my shoe" said Tomlin in reference to the limited attention he's paid toward Pickens' antics recently. Same thing with Canada, who is not concerned with his talented wide receiver. Rather, he wants to find a way to get him the ball more. One can't help but wonder, as Dulac points out, if this wasn't an easy opportunity for the Steelers to find an excuse to get Jones into the lineup. 

Fans have called for the rookie to start for weeks now, but for some reason, the coaching staff has continued to stick with Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle. Moore has been arguably worse than Okorafor, yet the team seems set on riding it out with the third-year lineman. Earlier in the week, Okorafor admitted that he thought Jones would start again in Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers

Steelers Dan Moore Jr.

Jordan Schofield/ SteelerNation (Twitter / x: @JSKO_Photo)

Steelers left tackle Dan Moore Jr. continues to hold onto his job in 2023, as rookie first-rounder Broderick Jones has now moved to the right side.

That appears as if it will be the case, and the team updated the depth chart earlier in the week to list them as co-starters. Now there is seemingly no doubt about it, the rookie is an upgrade to Okorafor along the offensive line. Still, this whole situation continues to feel odd, particularly with a guy that has been with the team for six years. Maybe that's why Tomlin and co. aren't defending him, as they expect more out of a veteran like him. Weird times in Pittsburgh.


Do you believe Dulac or Kovacevic's report? Do either scenarios warrant the benching/repercussions that Okorafor has went through? Do you think it's unfair to the right tackle when the coaches have benched him, yet defended Pickens? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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