Former Steelers DB Ryan Clark Blasts Matt Canada: ‘It’s Sickening’

On ESPN’s Get Up, former Steelers free safety Ryan Clark absolutely ripped Pittsburgh for their embarrassing 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium. He didn’t hold back whatsoever, as he criticized everyone from head coach Mike Tomlin to All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt to offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

“This is DeMeco Ryans in his first year against Mike Tomlin who in some ways has become a gold standard at the coaching position. And they were out-coached, they were out-executed, they were out-played. And period point-blank, the Houston Texans wanted it more. They were a more physical team,” Clark said.

Despite playing with four backups on the offensive line, the Texans allowed no sacks against the Steelers. Watt and Alex Highsmith were pretty much silent throughout the game.

” T.J. Watt, future first-ballot Hall of Famer, could be the Defensive Player of the Year again this year. He ain’t sniff C.J. Stroud,” Clark said. “And when you go into a game like this where you know it’s on you, where you know you got to make plays and you don’t. There has to be changes.”

The @HoustonTexans had 0 respect for the Pittsburgh Steelers!! It showed in the way the played, the way they dominated, and the way they furnished. A rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback treated the @steelers like little brother!

It’s absolutely embarrassing what took… pic.twitter.com/fMmmIFpdo7

— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) October 2, 2023

Through four games, the Steelers are averaging 12.5 points per game. They’ve been under 300 yards of offense in 3 of 4 games this season. They’re the only team since 2021 that hasn’t recorded a 400-yard game. Clark has seen enough. He wants Canada out of Pittsburgh immediately.

“Stop bumping your head up against the Matthew Canada wall,” Clark said. “Send him back. Wherever you want to send him. Send him back to Pitt. Hell, I’ll even take him back at LSU. If he can coach defense, because our offense does well. It’s sickening what you saw from the Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday, and I expect wholesale changes.”

Clark’s colleague, Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, agreed that Canada needs to go. But he also thinks Kenny Pickett isn’t the answer, either.

“Matt Canada needs to go and I’m sorry RC, but y’all need to be in the market for another quarterback because Kenny Pickett ain’t it,” Sharpe said on First Take.

The Steelers have a slew of issues right now and it’s up to Tomlin to figure it out. He promised change in his postgame press conference after the humiliating loss to Houston. It will be interesting to see how drastic those changes are because Sunday’s performance was certainly below the standard.