Canada became the Steelers’ quarterbacks coach in 2020 and was promoted to OC in 2021, replacing Randy Fichtner. With years of experience as a college offensive coordinator, Canada was expected to modernize Pittsburgh’s offense by using motions and updating the passing game. However, the Steelers received a subpar scheme that lacked cohesion, rarely challenged the defense deep, and lacked consistency overall.
During Canada’s time as OC, the Steelers never ranked higher than 23rd in yards and 21st in points. In 2023, Pittsburgh currently ranks 28th in yards and points. The passing game with Kenny Pickett at quarterback has been particularly poor, with the team ranking 31st in yards and 31st in TDs in 2023 (finished 32nd in TD passes last season).
The Steelers have failed to gain more than 400 total yards in 58 consecutive games, including Canada’s tenure as play-caller.
Sunday’s 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns was also dismal. The Steelers only generated 64 total yards, including 15 net pass yards, in the first half. This marked the second time this season that the Steelers had no points and fewer than 70 total yards in the first half of a game. For the whole game, Pittsburgh only managed 77 net passing yards, the lowest since Devlin Hodges was under center in Week 17, 2019.
“There’s a lot of layers to it,” Tomlin said about his decision to move on from Canada. “Our most recent performance is a component of it. I just think you know when you’re there to be blunt and short about the answer. Again, not saying that flippantly not taking the situation lightly at all. But just having been in the role that I’ve been in for some time you just know when you’re there. A totality of a myriad of variables.”
In the offseason, the Steelers stuck with Canada despite obvious struggles on offense, believing the continuity would be good for Pickett as a young QB. That faith has been washed away as the young quarterback has struggled badly through 10 games of his second season.
Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday that Pickett remained the team’s starting QB, with Mitchell Trubisky as the backup, and that his faith in the second-year QB remains strong.
“Because I work with him every day,” Tomlin said. “I’ve been really transparent with you guys about him and his willingness to work and my experience and what that tells me. This guy will do any and everything. He works extremely hard. … There’s such a thing as football justice. Those guys usually get what they’re looking for. That’s why I remain consistently optimistic about the trajectory of his growth and development.”
Canada’s firing is one Steelers fans have called for over a year. Tomlin had resisted a change at every turn, backing his OC repeatedly and brushing aside criticism. Ultimately, the underperforming offense was too much to ignore as a potential playoff season could slip away.
Pittsburgh sits at 6-4, No. 7 in the AFC, despite a -29 point differential, joining Seattle, -2, as the only two teams in 2023 with winning records and a negative point differential through Week 11.