Steelers Better Off Giving Final Warning Rather Than Just Firing Unpopular Coaches After 2023?

The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't been impressing anyone with their offensive showings in 2023, and the more the offense struggles, the less the defense has to work with. The more that fans and the rest of the NFL see from this underperforming Steelers squad, the more it feels like a change absolutely must happen to avoid a complete fan-led revolution. While a swift response to the lack of production may be the most desired action, one Steelers pundit sees another possible route for Pittsburgh to take regarding their coaching staff.

Steelers Could Follow In Iowa's Footsteps

The 2023 Steelers are going into their Week 9 matchup against the Tennessee Titans with a 4-3 record that doesn't do the struggles of the offense any true justice. Pittsburgh's offense currently ranks near the bottom of the league in points and yardage (both per game and per play), while the defense has done everything it can to try and breathe life into the 2023 campaign. Fans across the country want Matt Canada fired for what is consistently put on the field, and with each passing week, Mike Tomlin's seat also becomes much hotter.

Colin Dunlap of 93.7 The Fan wondered on Tuesday if the Steelers may bring something into play that the Iowa Hawkeyes used to ensure that their horrible offensive woes didn't continue longer than absolutely necessary. On Monday, it was announced that Brian Ferentz wouldn't be returning as Iowa's offensive coordinator, something that was assured by contract thanks to another year of basement dwelling. If Ferentz didn't improve the offense to a specific number, then he was out, and when it became evident that he wouldn't achieve that number, the news came.

Dunlap started out by making sure that his listeners understood that the situation in Iowa wasn't simply a coach being informed that he wouldn't be retained following the 2023 season; this was a family affair.

"Can it be applicable to the Steelers? So the University of Iowa - you know how far you gotta go in order to fire the coach's son? That's what's happening!"

That was an excellent setup for what Dunlap had next up because the Hawkeyes recognized the lack of production that was consistently going on with their offense; they didn't want to make a knee-jerk reaction, and they took action. Rather than letting nepotism get in the way, the soon-to-be-former coordinator was required to maintain 25 points per game and win at least seven games over the course of the 2023 season.

Now, this is the NCAA, so I am sure many assumed that there was wiggle room or that his father would step in, but neither of those situations occurred. Instead, the university saw another year with a flailing offense, and they did a little math to find out that they would finish the year with another offense that was right at or near the bottom of college football. After two years of Canada's complete lack of creativity, you would think that the front office of a professional football team may pick up on a trend and do something about it. Still, fans have painfully accepted that it's Canada through 2023.

Steelers Have An Edict In Their Future

After breaking down and comparing the situation in Iowa to that happening in Pittsburgh, Dunlap asked 93.7 listeners what they would think about a similar contract being given to Canada and possibly Tomlin. It is the NFL, so there would certainly be more red tape to get through in order for something like that to come to fruition, but the idea intrigued Dunlap, and it didn't sound as strange the more it settled in.

He went on to explain how if your profession involves selling something, you will be held to some standard or metric. You sell this many, and you have a job. If less occurs, then you're gone. The way Dunlap sees the NFL, coaches should be held to the same level of production, even more so considering the rarity of those coaching in the league.

"What's the downside of this?... Let's say that Mr. Rooney says, 'You know what, I can't fire Mike Tomlin straight away, I just can't do it, I can't, I can't! Or even, I can't fire Matt Canada straight away, even though we all know Matt Canada, and he's not very good. But I'll do this: Let's say that Matt Canada has to score 22.5 points a game to keep his job next year (2024).' Would you be willing to live with that?"

Despite the gap between how the NCAA and the NFL are run, that doesn't sound like the worst idea ever. Dunlap puts forth that he actually would have preferred something like this be put into place before the 2023 season began, considering what the offense looked like over the entire course of 2022. There would be some semblance of peace, knowing that as bad as things got, the light at the end of the tunnel was that it would end.

There are many fans in Pittsburgh who are truly frightened of the possibility that, for whatever unearthly reason, we will all see another Tomlin-Canada season in 2024. This may be out of the box, but at least we would know where it all stops.

How would you feel about a contract-based level that Canada/Tomlin would need to maintain in 2024? Comment below!

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