Madden Monday: Matt Canada ‘is not qualified’ to be Steelers' new offensive coordinator

The idea of the Steelers potentially promoting Matt Canada to become the offensive coordinator is going to go one of two ways.

If it eventually happens.

1. It’s going to go as many predict. For quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Canada is going to be a less abrasive, less public annoyance than Todd Haley was. And Roethlisberger will remain the Steelers de facto offensive coordinator in his final season.

Then the Steelers will be somewhere between 7-9 and 9-7. Roethlisberger’s contract will expire. Canada will either get fired or stay on with head coach Mike Tomlin, and they’ll get a QB more capable of running Canada’s offense in 2022.

2. Canada is going to have the power and the backing to install a lot of the pre-snap misdirection and deception he likes. And Roethlisberger is going to hate it and revolt, making his last year in Pittsburgh even more controversial and less harmonious than if he had been released or asked to retire in the first place.

Everything will melt down. Roethlisberger will retire. And the staff will be blown up after going 5-11.

How’s that for optimism?

I suppose there might be a third option. Roethlisberger could adopt all of Canada’s systems and execute them with happiness and efficiency, and the Steelers could bounce back to their form of the first 11 weeks of 2020.

Yeah. That … could … happen. I suppose. Are you willing to bet on that? I wouldn’t.

Here’s how Mark Madden of 105.9 The X sees it going down in our weekly “Madden Monday” podcast.

“Matt Canada is Ben’s new bobo,” Madden said. “He’s not qualified to have the job. He’s never been a coordinator in the National Football League. But he will do what Ben wants. And all that gimmicky stuff? The jet sweep, the motion. Ben doesn’t want to do that. That’s been proven. Ben doesn’t want to start over with a new (offensive coordinator) or a new offense. Ben just wants to do what Ben wants to do.”

So it sounds like Madden is closest to camp No. 1.

We also dive into the first weekend of the Penguins season, JuJu Smith-Schuster’s video game flirtation with free agency and the Cleveland Browns’ close-but-no-cigar loss to Kansas City.

Plus, we talk about Liverpool soccer, the New York Dolls and the potential renewal of a January Mark Madden tradition.

Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden talk Steelers’ off-season, Penguins’ win, NFL playoffs and more.