PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Now we know Mike Tomlin will not be hiring Eddie Faulkner or Mike Sullivan as the new offensive coordinator for the Steelers in 2024. Here is a look at some of the experienced offensive coordinator candidates who could be on the Steelers radar.
Darrell Bevell
· Dolphins QB/pass game coordinator
· 23 yrs NFL coaching experience, 15 years of being OC (Minnesota, Seattle, Detroit, Jacksonville)
· Worked with Tua Tagovailoa, Matt Stafford, Russell Wilson, Trevor Lawrence, Brett Favre
· Won Super Bowl with Seattle as Seahawks had second-best NFL rushing offense in his 6 years as OC
· Thought-54-year-old seems to have all of the qualifications, would he find the Steelers job attractive
Josh McDaniels
· Been head coach twice at Denver and Las Vegas & still only 47-years-old, 20-33 overall record
· Coached under Nick Saban (Michigan State), Bill Belichick
· 2x Patriots offensive coordinator & QB coach, part of all 6 Super Bowl titles with Tom Brady
· Thought-Is he the product of being with Brady or did he help make Brady?
Eric Bienemy
· 25 years of NFL experience as a coach and player
· Chiefs OC for 5 years, 2 Super Bowl titles working with Andy Reid
· Coached Patrick Mahomes, along with RBs Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew previously
· At 54, strong desire to be head coach
Kellen Moore
· The 35-year-old is still under contract with the Chargers, but with the head coach gone, could be an option. He interviewed to be LA's head coach.
· 4 years as Dallas OC, 27.7 points per game, 391 yards per game in 2022
· Struggled at times with Justin Herbert (although QB missed 4 games) in 2023 with Chargers
· Started as Dallas QB coach working with Dak Prescott
· Threw for 14,667 yards with 142 touchdowns from 2008-11 at Boise State, team was 50-3 with him at QB
· Concern would be that the Chargers with Herbert for 13 games averaged just 20.4 points per game.
· Thought-probably a long-shot, even if not retained by the Chargers would be highly sought after
Frank Reich
· Head coach of the Colts and Panthers, 41-43-1 record
· Worked with Tony Dungy, Jim Caldwell, Ken Whisenhunt, Doug Pederson
· Eagles OC when Philly beat New England in 2017
· Coached Phillip Rivers to best season of his career while SD QB coach
· Thought-spotty record of success, could be attractive in return to Philly and is a decade older than Mike Tomlin
Klint Kubiak
· Worked this season with Kyle Shanahan as the passing game specialist
· Only season as an OC was 2021 with Minnesota, tied for first in fewest interceptions with Kirk Cousins
· 36-year-old previously was QB coach at Minnesota 2019-20, Denver 2016-18
· Thought-the son of Gary Kubiak, Klint has only one season of calling plays as offensive coordinator, Vikings averaged 25 points a game that season
Byron Leftwich
· Played for Mike Tomlin in 2008 and 2010-12, 58 career NFL TD, two-time MAC MVP at Marshall
· Tampa Bay offensive coordinator 2019-22, winning Super Bowl with Tom Brady
· Worked with Bruce Arians in both Arizona and TB
· Thought-doesn't have a ton of experience and again the question of if it was more Brady than him
Shane Waldron
· Current offensive coordinator with Seattle, but HC Pete Carroll was fired
· OC with the Seahawks 2021-23 (finished middle-of-the-pack in scoring offense over the 3 seasons), passing game coordinator with Rams 2017-20, won 2 Super Bowls with Patriots as operations assistant
· Helped Geno Smith to comeback season in 2022
· Thought-44-year-old has a few years of play-calling experience with moderate success
Other names will likely surface, although I can't imagine they would hire someone right now as offensive coordinator who was fired by someone else this year.
In his 17 years as head coach, Tomlin has never made a more important coaching hire. Whatever it takes. Wherever he looks, he, the organization, has to get this right.
