The Steelers will keep Matt Canada on as offensive coordinator and he will return for the 2023 season, according to other reports and Steelers Now confirmed.
The news comes after a long waiting period where it was unclear if Canada would return to the Steelers after a disappointing season where they averaged only 18.1 points per game. That ranked 26th in the NFL, a near two-point decrease from the 2021 NFL season.
There will be multiple steps to work with now moving forward, including any staff shakeups that could potentially be occurring on the offensive side of the football. However, keeping Canada will allow for some continuity for Kenny Pickett, the Steelers’ soon-to-be second-year quarterback who steadily improved over his rookie season.
Previously, Mike Tomlin said that the Steelers would take plenty of time to decide on their staff changes. It appears that has now been made, and after going 7-2 to end the season, Pittsburgh will run it back with mostly the same staff for a young offensive roster.
“We’ll proceed methodically through this,” Tomlin said. “We’ll probably move a little slower than most of our peers, but we don’t worry about the Joneses. We’ve got a business model, one that we believe in, and we’ll be thorough in doing so and in assessing what transpired in an effort to tee up our next opportunity, and at the appropriate time we’ll start work in that area.”
Matt Canada is a divisive force. His play sequencing leaves much to be desired although the scheme itself has its strengths. The stability could keep Pickett in there with some stability, which has proven key to most young quarterbacks who grow into their future NFL selves. It is unclear how much went into the decision to keep Canada, but it is undeniable that there are key pros and cons to this move.