Steelers ideal Matt Canada replacement could soon become available

January 18, 2023 ndowd

The Pittsburgh Steelers should move on from Matt Canada, and their best option to do so is expected to be available soon.

After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs, rumors and speculation started swirling around offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich’s job security.

Pro Football Focus reported that Leftwich has already been fired, but that report has not been substantiated by anyone other than a Bucs blog. It’s not that outlandish to think about, though.

While we wait for confirmation, it’s hard to envision a world in which the Bucs can move forward with Leftwich. The team ranked 25th in points scored this year after ranking in the top-three in the three seasons before, consecutively.

Byron Leftwich seems to be a Steelers target to replace Matt Canada

Reportedly, the Steelers are eyeing Leftwich and his availability as a possible excuse to fire Matt Canada:

Steelers rumor: Mike Tomlin is waiting to see if Byron Leftwich gets fired before making a move on Matt Canada.

How would swapping out Leftwich for Canada make you feel?

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) January 16, 2023

Canada, who has been the OC in Pittsburgh since the 2020 season, has led the team to 12th-best, 21st-best, and 26th-best in scoring in the three years he’s managed the offense. He’s reportedly had his spats with Roethlisberger and fans really want him out.

Steelers brass, and even Roethlisberger himself, have expressed support for Canada coming back.

The question for Pittsburgh will be: Will Leftwich be a better option than Canada? And is there anyone out there that would be better suited for the role?

With so many head coaching opportunities available this offseason, many of the premier offensive minds ready to move onto new opportunities are probably thinking higher than a coordinator role. That could limit the field of possibilities for the Steelers on who they can promote.

The upside with Leftwich compared to Canada is he has been a quarterback in this league and could mentor and guide Kenny Pickett as he navigates his young career. Clearly, there should be some question marks about his ability to actually play-call a team to success, but at this point, most Steelers fans are ready for anyone other than Canada.

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