The Pittsburgh Steelers are having one of their worst seasons offensively in the history of the franchise. Matt Canada was awful with Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky, and may have done unrepairable damage to Kenny Pickett. On Tuesday, the Steelers did something they have not done since before World War II. They fired a coach during the season. Christmas came early to Steeler Nation, and Canada is no longer employed by the organization.
Pittsburgh Steelers / YouTube
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin's Week 12 press conference.
Mike Tomlin held his weekly press conference on Tuesday and addressed the elephant in the room. At his podium, Tomlin claimed that it was his decision to move on from Canada. That assertion directly contradicts an earlier report from Gerry Dulac that Art Rooney II made the decision. An obviously perturbed Tomlin refused to take the opportunity to dance on Canada’s fresh grave.
“I’ll leave that between he and I,” Tomlin replied when asked how Canada handled the news.
It is not necessary to elaborate on the gory details of how the news was received. Canada is entitled to some dignity despite how many feel about his job performance. Fans indeed wanted him gone, and most observers thought he was not good at his job, but the simple news that he has been relieved should mercifully close the book on one of the worst coaching tenures in the Steelers' history.
The Athletic
Steelers new offensive coordinator, Eddie Faulkner.
The initial rebuff of the inquiry about the details of Canada’s dismissal did not stop others from attacking from different angles. Tomlin was not forthcoming about many details beyond the division of labor amongst the current offensive coaching staff. When asked if Eddie Faulkner’s elevation to offensive coordinator was a potential audition for another promotion from within, the head coach brushed off the question.
“We’re trying to beat the Cincinnati Bengals this week,” Tomlin simply replied. "We're not urinating on the fire."
The six wins the Steelers have eked out in 2023 still have them squarely in the playoff picture. The Steelers have promoted the last two offensive coordinators from the quarterback coach position. Randy Fichtner and Canada both began by coaching Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh. The current quarterbacks coach, Mike Sullivan, will serve as the play-caller, but Faulkner is the running back coach and new offensive coordinator.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers Quarterbacks Coach Mike Sullivan
It is a minor change, but thankfully, it is a change. The media members present were still not satisfied with Tomlin’s omission of detail beyond his initial disclosure that he decided to move on. Tomlin expanded on his previous answers when asked why he had not made the change during the bye week.
“Like I told Gerry, it’s a myriad of variables in that equation,” Tomlin answered. “You just know when you’re there. I’m not going to get into great detail in this setting. I don’t think that’s appropriate.”
One of the greatest strengths of the Steelers head coach is his ability to deal with the press. His support amongst the national media members who only see him from afar is unwavering. Despite a putrid offense and underperforming defense, Tomlin is garnering Coach of the Year support.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Exasperated By Media Questions; Refuses To "Apologize For Winning"
The local press members are starting to see the cracks in a once-polished media savant. Tomlin has appeared terse and short-tempered in multiple press conferences in 2023 after wins and losses. The Steelers leader underscored that point when the topic was revisited immediately under the guise of appeasing frustrated players.
“Again, I said there were many variables,” Tomlin concluded. “I have given you guys my statement, respectfully. Out of respect to him, particularly professionally, I’m just not going to get into a lot of details and give you the pound of flesh that you’re hunting.”
Tomlin was obviously irritated at this point, but deserves some credit as a boss. Canada was his employee, and he is responsible for his performance. No matter who you believe made the decision, his steadfast refusal to disclose the difficult personal details of how he delivered the news is admirable.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers' Kenny Pickett needs to be a key part of righting the 2023 Steelers following the Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Jerry Glanville once coined the NFL, which stands for "Not For Long." The Steelers have no time to revel or sulk. Pittsburgh has just four days to prepare for a trip to meet the Cincinnati Bengals. The loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 11 makes this a must-win for the Steelers. If Faulkner and Sullivan can fix Pickett's blind spot between the hash marks, Pittsburgh can still finish strong and make the playoffs. That will open up a new set of uncomfortable questions for Tomlin about why he didn't change sooner.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you admire Tomlin denying the press the gory details about Canada's dismissal? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.
#SteelerNation
