Let’s clear up the obvious first. For all intents and purposes, Mike Tomlin is a made man. He can likely coach the Pittsburgh Steelers for as long as he wants. He’s never had a losing season in 16 years, and he brought the franchise its last Super Bowl championship in 2008. Calling him one of the best coaches in NFL history is not hyperbole. I would be shocked if the Rooney family ever fired him outright. Legends like him don’t get abrupt pink slips. Period.
But how Tomlin continues to treat his broken Steelers offense — led by the much-maligned Matt Canada — should start furling more eyebrows. Tomlin’s process, at least thus far, is enough to question whether he’s the man who will turn the Steelers back into a marquee powerhouse or if he’ll just lead an organization that is now satisfied with straddling around .500. No one is unimpeachable forever.
Let’s take it to Tuesday in Pittsburgh.
Two days after the Houston Texans walloped the Steelers 30-6 with a rookie quarterback, Tomlin was still answering questions about one of the worst defeats of his tenure. The Pittsburgh defense’s woeful performance aside, Canada’s continually awful offensive attack has mainly (and rightfully) been under the microscope. In Canada’s third season as the Steelers offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh’s offense is 29th in total yards, 29th in points scored, 31st in expected points added per play (EPA), and 30th in offensive DVOA. The defense has scored almost as many touchdowns (2) as the offense (4), which has two single-digit point efforts in four games. This is all, in two words… very bad.
How did Tomlin respond when asked about making any changes to the offense? Like, you know, perhaps relieving Canada of playcalling duties? With a succinct, “Not at this juncture.”
Asked Mike Tomlin if there would be a change to division of labor among coaching responsibilities — especially as it pertains to playcalling.
Tomlin: "Not at this juncture."
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 3, 2023
Whatever Tomlin is thinking here, he needs to adjust his rationale quickly. Because none of this Steelers’ offensive bleakness under Canada is new. If we extend the above statistics to his entire tenure as Pittsburgh’s offensive leader, the Steelers are still just 23rd in total offensive EPA per play since the start of 2021. They have still not finished with a DVOA higher than No. 17 overall (in 2022). And in both 2021 and 2022, the Steelers were in the bottom third of the NFL in total yardage and points scored. Some might deny it on principle, but Pittsburgh now has an anemic offense that bottom-feeding franchises like Chicago and Cleveland can be “proud” of.
Simply put, it is not the company you want to keep, folks.
Pittsburgh can’t and shouldn’t blame the departure of Ben Roethlisberger, either, who was a decrepit shell of himself at the end of his career anyway. While one can perhaps point to the combined ineptitude of Mitchell Trubisky and Mitchell Trubisky 2.0, er, Kenny Pickett, dragging the Steelers down — because neither are viable starting quarterbacks — it’s not as if Canada’s unimaginative offense does them any favors. Pittsburgh has an explosive skill group featuring George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, and Pat Freiermuth. Yet, Pickett averages just over six yards per pass attempt and has nearly as many air yards (407) as Joe Burrow on precisely one healthy calf (376). Rather than get the ball to their playmakers in space or downfield, Canada’s scheme is intent on consistently spamming low-risk hitches, curls, and pick plays that go nowhere once a defense realizes there are no other tricks up the Steelers’ sleeve. It’s not hard to stop a team when you know what’s coming.
Ultimately, this is what Canada’s offense has produced. It’s a glorified pop-gun attack that can score every now and then for a moral victory but cannot remotely hang with the league’s big boys in Kansas City, Buffalo, and Miami. It’s apparent that whatever buttons Canada pushes, they’re all wrong. Pittsburgh is incapable of sustaining quality offense, and it’s sinking a talented team that had lofty preseason ambitions.
So, why does Tomlin continue to provide cover for someone inept at their job? He knows this is a political game.
The moment Tomlin demotes Canada or fires him, he puts the spotlight on himself. He was Tomlin’s hand-picked offensive coordinator choice, the person he wanted to be the Steelers’ offensive steward in the post-Roethlisberger era. In the end, if Canada’s head rolls for persistent failure, then Tomlin understands he needs to have a prepared answer on deck that dramatically improves the Steelers’ offense. Tomlin would have to face the music and show he has a tangible solution right away. If he doesn’t, perhaps the NFL’s safest coach inadvertently raises the temperature of his seat.
It would take a lot, if anything, for the Steelers to part ways with Tomlin down the line. But if I told you they hadn’t won a playoff game since 2016 — easily the longest drought in franchise history post-merger — and that Pittsburgh had steadily morphed into a second-class AFC team, you’d also start questioning Tomlin more. There are ambitious standards for Western Pennsylvania’s professional football team. January is supposed to be an extension of the holiday season for the Steelers faithful, and it hasn’t been for a long time. Tomlin will not be able to coast on keeping Pittsburgh just above water forever. Expectations are far too high for the Steelers to be that plucky, well-coached team that just doesn’t have enough to win it all.
Eventually, Tomlin has to make a change and show progress that the black and gold are on track to be a legitimate heavyweight again. He should start by holding Canada accountable, even with the inherent dangers for himself involved. If he doesn’t, he risks sullying the potential end of one of the best coaching tenures in league history. You can only be a beloved made man for so long.