Steelers Fans Vilified By CBS Insider With Claims They Are Trying To Hurt Matt Canada's Family

The Pittsburgh Steelers have managed three wins against two losses in 2023 and are in first place in the AFC North going into the bye week. The Steelers have scored five touchdowns in five games on offense. Alex Highsmith and TJ Watt have added two more touchdowns to the 2023-point total. Saying that fans are disappointed with the output is an understatement.

Matt Canada is persona non grata in Pittsburgh. That is not news. Steelers fans are taking every opportunity to call for his head. Mike Tomlin should be paying close attention to this development, according to Aditi Kinkhabwala.

Kinkhabwala, a sideline reporter from the NFL on CBS, made her weekly appearance on The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller on Wednesday. The veteran AFC North insider had a different take on fans chanting exactly what seems to be on every Steelers fan's mind at a Pittsburgh Penguins game. Kinkhabwala decided to share her opinion of the current unrest in Steeler Nation.

“I was watching the Pens last night and listening to that ['Fire Canada' chant],” Kinkhabwala said. “At this point, the decision has been made. Mike Tomlin has said he is not changing his coordinator. He is perfectly happy with this coordinator and what he is doing at this moment, so what’s the point? Now, when you’re chanting that, all you are doing is trying to hurt his family.”

Fans expressing frustration with Canada’s results as an offensive coordinator are in bounds. Calling for him to be fired is in bounds. Is it distasteful to do it at your local Burger King? Probably, but the fans are why anyone is getting paid to play, broadcast, and opine about professional football.

It is irresponsible to suggest that the paying customers dissatisfied with the on-field product are trying to hurt Canada’s family by chanting or booing. Worse, it is, at best, a poorly reasoned position. Fans do not have a license to make threats of bodily harm, but chanting to "Fire Canada" does not remotely reach the pretend threshold Kinkhabwala is insinuating. It is another attempt to silence criticism from Pittsburgh fans, who should enjoy winning nine games and allow a once proud franchise to shrink into irrelevancy like the Dallas Cowboys, by the national media.

“You’re not convincing Mike Tomlin of anything,” Kinkhabwala continues. “Mike Tomlin’s not changing his mind at this point.”

Chris Mueller, who has been equally critical of Canada and Kenny Pickett for the current state of the Steelers offense, decided to interrupt the CBS sideline reporter. Mueller chose to defend the angry members of Steeler Nation who have been subjected to the substandard product the organization has chosen to put forth.

“I know, but fans are still going to be fans, and they are clearly frustrated and fed up,” Mueller responded. “They’re still going to chant it. His family has already been hurt plenty if they are the types that are hurt by this sort of thing by just the sheer amount of venom that’s been lobbed at him for over a year now.”

Art Rooney II, Omar Khan, and Tomlin had to know if the offense struggled that the best they could hope for was a firestorm from fans. Even though the Steelers finished with nine wins and an impressive seven out of nine victories in the second half of 2022, fans wanted Canada out after last season. Instead, the offensive coordinator was retained, and the word continuity was floated for the decision.

“It’s on Tomlin. At this point, it’s on Tomlin,” Kinkhabwala interrupted. “There is no winning for Matt Canada at this point. The fan base has already decided what it wants to decide about him. I hate to use this phrase, but it is what it is.”

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin Defended With Loathsome Talking Points By Mike Florio

This is the second week in a row that The PM Team has challenged a guest from the national media. Kinkhabwala, to her credit, unlike Mike Florio a week prior, did not default to loathsome cliches, but instead unleashed the painful truth. Tomlin bears responsibility for the decision to retain Canada.

If ownership made the decision and forced Tomlin to retain him, Mr. Rooney is not saying, and Coach Tomlin isn’t telling. The Steelers wanted continuity, and they got it. Unhappy fans wanted Canada gone after last season. The feeling continued to fester and is now an ugly open wound. Pittsburgh decided to keep its fans unhappy. Now, Tomlin and Rooney are reaping the whirlwind reactions they sowed themselves.

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Did Kinkhabwala accidentally say the quiet part out loud when she blamed Tomlin? Please comment below, or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq. 

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