Amidst the Pittsburgh Steelers' three-game winning streak, the offense has began to show signs of life. The running game has suddenly become very good since the Week 9 bye. As a result, it's opened up the passing game for rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett. Pickett has taken a step forward, impressing many people around the league. His back-to-back game-winning drives have kept the black and gold's playoff hopes alive.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Despite the improvements, offensive coordinator, Matt Canada's future with the team is still very much up in the air. The offense still ranks in the bottom-10 of the NFL in nearly every major category. Just his second season as the team's OC, many fans still want a replacement after the 2022 season. According to Jeff Hathhorn of 93.7 The Fan, the team will reportedly consult with Pickett when they make a decision on Canada in the off-season:
Our Steelers insider @jhathhorn says on @937theFan the Steelers will sit down with Kenny Pickett and get his thoughts on the offense before making a decision on Matt Canada.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) January 6, 2023
This shouldn't be seen as much of a surprise, as Pickett is indeed seen as the team's future at quarterback. As we know, you must have a good quarterback in this league in order to be regular contenders. While it wouldn't be ideal changing coordinators after his first season in the pros, it may be a necessary move. Quarterbacks coach, Mike Sullivan's name will likely come up as a possible replacement if Canada is indeed fired.
Steelers' Kenny Pickett (#8) and offensive coordinator Matt Canada work on the game plan in preparation for the New Orleans Saints in Pittsburgh, PA. | Credit: Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers
Teams often do consult with their quarterbacks in moves regarding the offensive coordinator. Pickett has earned his respect in the building already, evolving as one of the team leaders despite being a rookie. On Friday, Mason Cole talked about Pickett's command in the huddle in an interview with Dale Lolley of Steelers.com. It's something that plenty of the veterans have noticed about the 24-year-old quarterback.
Do you think the team should consult with Pickett about the OC hire/decision? What have been your thoughts on his rookie season? Will he be a captain of this team in the future? Should the team keep Canada or hire someone else? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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