It’s been a tumultuous week for the Pittsburgh Steelers and their struggling offense. Just days before Thanksgiving, they fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada, leaving many to wonder what the future holds for the team.
At first glance, it may seem surprising that a team with a 6-4 record would make such a drastic change so close to the holiday. But the Steelers have been outgained every week this season and have yet to establish a clear identity or strategy. They’ve struggled to create rhythm and flow on offense, leaving them vulnerable to defenses that can predict their moves.
On Sunday, things came to a head during a chaotic game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Jaylen Warren carried the load, while receiver Diontae Johnson was reportedly carried away from a member of the coaching staff and head coach Mike Tomlin had to intervene in a kerfuffle. Running back Najee Harris made post-game comments indicating that he was at his breaking point.
So what’s next for the Steelers? Someone else will be running the show, calling the plays and making changes to keep things moving forward. Eddie Faulkner has been appointed as running backs coach, while Mike Sullivan will take over as quarterbacks coach. The mandate is clear: fix what’s broken and get this offense back on track.
But it won’t be easy. The heart of the problem could be Kenny Pickett himself, who has yet to make any big throws into tight spots or demonstrate much mobility on the field. Some are questioning whether he was worth taking as a first-round pick in 2022, and there are already rumors circulating about whether he might be replaced by Mitch Trubisky or another QB in the short term. In the long term, there’s no telling whether Pickett will be able to lead this team back to championship contention without significant changes to both his game and his supporting cast