The Steelers made their first significant in-season coaching change since 1941 when they fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada on Tuesday and head coach Mike Tomlin discussed that decision at a press conference hours after the move was announced.
Tomlin said the decision to fire Canada was “mine and mine alone” and called football a “results-oriented business” when explaining why he made the change now. Tomlin said the offensive “improvements were not rapid enough or consistent enough for us to proceed” with Canada in the same role.
Running backs coach Eddie Faulkner is the new offensive coordinator and Tomlin said he will organize game planning while quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan takes over as the play-caller. Tomlin called it “really natural” for Sullivan to take on that role because he’s done it for other teams and because he’s already working closely with quarterback Kenny Pickett.
“I am quite confident and excited for the men who get an opportunity to evolve in terms of their roles. One man’s misfortune in this business is another man’s opportunity,” Tomlin said.
The new coaching arrangement will make its debut against the Bengals this weekend and everyone in Pittsburgh will be hoping that it involves the kind of rapid improvement that Tomlin felt was lacking with Canada at the helm.
