PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Mike Tomlin was non-committal as to his future, Kenny Pickett said they got along well and were on the same page. What if they don’t bring Matt Canada back?
There is the premise that you don’t want to rock the boat and keep Canada so you don’t interfere with Pickett’s progress. There obviously was progress, what if after one year you just switched coordinators on Pickett?
It happened to him in college. His first two seasons at Pitt he grew under Shawn Watson, his second season, first full as a starter he completed 58% of his passes for 1.969 yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. He ran for 220 yards and three scores. There were concerns when Watson left that Pickett would have to start over in his formative time.
In comes Mark Whipple, first year-12 games, 62% completions, 3,098 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Second year-9 games, 61% completions, 2.408 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Then the final season explosion of 67% completions, 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns, seven interceptions.
Does that mean he needs a new coordinator to take the next step? Is there more for Canada to show him? If the Steelers decide to make a move, here are some candidates. We will go on the premise they won’t go into the college ranks again, although a guy like Alabama’s Bill O’Brien has called plays in the NFL and been a head coach.
Fired Head Coaches
Frank Reich-fired mid-season in Indianapolis after going 40-33. He was the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl Champion Eagles in 2017 leading the third highest scoring offense in the NFL. In 2020 and 2021, the Colts were the ninth highest scoring team with Philip Rivers and Carson Wentz as the primary quarterbacks. In 2022, they were 30th with Matt Ryan as the opening starter.
Nathaniel Hackett-fired mid-season in Denver for an offense 32nd in points scored with Russell Wilson at quarterback. In 2020 he led the NFL’s top scoring offense with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. He was ranked 10th and 15th in his other two seasons in Green Bay. His first two seasons as offensive coordinator in Buffalo in 2013-14, they averaged 22nd and 18th in points. He went to Jacksonville and went from 25th to 5th to 31st in points scored from 2016-18.
Kliff Kingsbury-fired Arizona head coach-fizzled out after growing to an 11-win team in 2021, his offense ninth in points scored. In 2022, only four wins and the 29th best offense in the league. His resume built from college success, but regarded as one of the best offensive minds in the game.
Matt Nagy-fired in Chicago for not being good enough with Mitch Trubisky, et al. He spent one year as the Chiefs offensive coordinator and was sixth in the league in points scored with Alex Smith at quarterback. If you like the Andy Reid offenses, he spent a decade with Reid between the Eagles and Chiefs. He’s currently back with Reid as a senior assistant.
There are a pair of offensive coordinators with uncertain futures:
Byron Leftwich-Tampa Bay-after a disastrous first year as OC with Arizona in 2018, he was hired by the Bucs and until this year was third (with Jameis Winston as QB), third and second in points scored from 2019-21, 25th this season. He’s worked with Tom Brady and played under Tomlin and who knows what the offseason could hold for him.
Pep Hamilton-Texans-they fired head coach Lovie Smith with Hamilton as his offensive coordinator.
Houston finished 30th in points with little talent. Hamilton was the OC for three years in Indy from 2013-15 finishing 14th, sixth (Andrew Luck 40 TD passes) and 24th in points.
Then there are former NFL offensive coordinators in different roles last season:
Tom Clements-Packers QB-the McKees Rocks native is back with Green Bay as the QB coach. He spent the previous two seasons as Kyler Murray’s QB coach in Arizona, before that was the QB coach and offensive coordinator with the Packers. He started as the Bills OC in 2004-05 finishing seventh and 24th in points with some journeymen quarterbacks. He helped groom Aaron Rodgers and in three years as his offensive coordinator finished fifth, eighth and first in points scored. He will be 70 in June and may not want to be a coordinator again.
Jim Bob Cooter-current Jags passing game coordinator-he’s worked with a young, first-round QB. He was the offensive coordinator in Detroit for four seasons and was seventh in scoring in 2017 under Jim Caldwell, who is another older coach with head coaching and coordinator experience. An interesting tie for Cooter, he spent the 2021 season as a consultant with Andy Weidl in Philadelphia.
Marcus Brady-former Colts offensive coordinator-struggling this year with the 30th ranked offense in Indy, last season, his first as OC, they were seventh in points scored. His 2021 offense also led the league in turnover ratio, something Tomlin harped on this season. Prior to Indy he spent a decade coaching in the CFL with six years of coordinator experience.
Darrell Bevell-currently the Dolphins QB coach/passing game coordinator, Bevell spent seven years as the Seattle OC, five with Minnesota, two with Detroit and one disaster-filled 2021 with Urban Meyer in Jacksonville. He had five years with the Seahawks where his offenses never finished worst than sixth in scoring and were twice second. His 2009 Vikings offense was second in points, 15 years of NFL play-calling experience and he’s only 53-years-old.
Joe Brady-currently the Bills QB coach, was Carolina’s offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021 and they struggled. He has an interesting background of being Joe Burrow’s insane Heisman-winning, national championship winning 2019 season. He was an offensive assistant under Sean Payton for two years with the Saints and spent this year as Josh Allen’s coach. He also is a William & Mary grad, same as Tomlin.
There are other names, but this list highlights some of the most attractive.