One hire the Steelers can make after 2022 that will get the franchise back on track immediately
The Pittsburgh Steelers are going nowhere fast this season and it's mostly because of their offense. Pittsburgh doesn't seem to have any sort of real identity on offense. They're predictable and they don't create splash plays. The blame, of course, has to be placed on offensive coordinator Matt Canada, who seems to have no clue […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers are going nowhere fast this season and it's mostly because of their offense.
Pittsburgh doesn't seem to have any sort of real identity on offense. They're predictable and they don't create splash plays.
The blame, of course, has to be placed on offensive coordinator Matt Canada, who seems to have no clue what he's doing.
Unfortunately for Steelers fans, it's unlikely that Mike Tomlin fires Canada before the end of the season.
Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday that he's "not there yet" when it comes to making changes on offense.
I'm sure that's frustrating to hear. But honestly, I'm not sure how much it would matter this season. Maybe the Steelers rally and make the playoffs if Canada is fired. But I tend to think that wouldn't be the case.
The big move will happen this off-season. It seems highly unlikely that Canada will return in 2023 (if he does, there might be a fan revolt).
If Canada and Pittsburgh part ways as expected, the next question will be "who does Tomlin hire"?
And I think there's an obvious choice.
Tomlin needs to hire Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach Joe Brady, the former passing game coordinator at LSU.
Brady is partially responsible for turning Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow into a superstar.
Burrow was an afterthought in college football before Brady was hired at LSU in 2019. Brady brought an innovative approach to the Tigers' offense thanks to his usage of RPOs which helped unlock Burrow's talent.
That's exactly what the Steelers need right now. Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett has a similar skillset to Burrow. And Brady could help him reach his full potential while making the Steelers' offense exciting.
Now, it's worth mentioning that Brady was the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers under Matt Rhule and he was fired. That shouldn't hurt Brady's reputation. Rhule was terrible in Carolina and the offense didn't get any better after Brady was fired. The truth is that Rhule meddled and didn't let Brady work his magic.
Brady, who was a graduate assistant at Penn State for two years, had his star dimmed a bit because of his time in Carolina. But he still possesses the same innovative offensive mind and approach that made him a coveted assistant after his one season in Baton Rouge.
If the Steelers can get Brady on staff, it could change everything for the offense. And it could put Pittsburgh right back among the upper echelon of teams in the NFL.
And hey, maybe Brady could help the Steelers better prepare for Burrow and the Bengals.
Sounds like a perfect scenario to me.
Featured image via Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK
