The Pittsburgh Steelers offense is horrendous. They haven't scored a first quarter offensive touchdown since last season when they played the Detroit Lions on November 11th. Through the first three games this season, they've managed three offensive touchdowns, and because of that, they have lost two of those games. They were embarrassed during the second half of their Thursday night loss in Cleveland. After taking a 14-13 lead into the half, Pittsburgh could only manage to get one field goal the rest of the way.
Mitchell Trubisky dives for the end zone in the Steelers 29-17 loss to the Browns. Photo from Steelers.com
It hasn't just been that the offense can't score points. It's the fact that the offense can't even get first downs. They can't establish a run game, they can't establish a pass game. While quarterback Mitch Trubisky is partially to blame, it isn't entirely his fault. The offense isn't even put in a position to do anything well. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada's game plans are awful. There isn't any creativity, there isn't any stretching the field, and as noted above, there isn't any scoring.
Now, after the Steelers loss on Thursday night, Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin admitted that he wasn't thinking about moving on from Trubisky to rookie Kenny Pickett, and he wouldn't even entertain the thought of firing Canada. But according to Josh Rowntree of 93.7 The Fan, it's something that the players definitely would like to see happen. Rowntree joined Andrew Fillipponi on his daily afternoon spot and he talked at length about how unhappy the Steelers players are with Canada. He even went as far as to say that many players want Canada fired.
Award winning reporter @JRown32 on @937theFan says the majority of Steelers offensive players want Matt Canada fired.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) September 26, 2022
Rowntree would later clarify his point by saying that he didn't have any players come out directly and tell him they would prefer Canada to be fired, but he believes that the locker room would prefer that option.
"To clarify this just a bit," Rowntree typed on Twitter. "No one has publicly come out and said that Canada should be fired. But there's a strong sense that the players are unhappy with the direction of offense, and, if polled, I believe would favor a change."
The offensive coordinator job in Pittsburgh always seems to spark outrage. Bruce Arians was ran out of town after helping Ben Roethlisberger develop into a top tier passer. But his offenses usually left Roethlisberger in harms way causing him to be sacked repeatedly. Then it was on to Todd Haley who would help extend Roethlisberger's career protecting him from all of the punishment he once endured earlier in his career.
Haley's offenses would put up tons of points, but the defense would often left them down. But it was Haley who was essentially fired instead of defensive coordinator Keith Butler and replaced by Roethlisberger's buddy, Randy Fichtner in 2019. Fichtner would then be run out of town in favor of Canada after two seasons.
But what is happening now didn't happen then. Those offenses worked. They scored points. Those offenses were some of the best in the NFL, and the players knew that. They didn't complain. Now, it's the opposite. The players aren't happy.
The amount of finger-pointing done by Steelers players at Matt Canada and the direction of the offense is unprecedented in the Tomlin era. AB might bitch about not getting the ball. Big Ben might take a passive aggressive shot here and there. This is an all out attack on Canada.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) September 26, 2022
Monday, wide receiver Chase Claypool was asked if he feels the offense has an identity right now.
"Umm, we got playmakers, but I don't know if we have an identity," Claypool said. "I think we're still figuring that out."
They're never going to figure it out with Canada. Let's hope the players get their wish before the 2022 season is over.
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