OC Matt Canada hopes 3rd time is the charm to get Steelers' offense humming

When the regular season opens for the Pittsburgh Steelers in September, the most scrutinized person won’t be found taking snaps on the playing field or standing on the sideline.

Matt Canada will be sitting in the coaches box high above the playing surface at Acrisure Stadium, relaying plays on his headset.

Retained for a third season as offensive coordinator, a move that stunned many Steelers fans, Canada will oversee a unit that receded to No. 26 in total points last year after finishing a pedestrian No. 21 in 2021.

Given the offense’s lack of production in Ben Roethlisberger’s final season and Kenny Pickett’s first, Canada won’t be enjoying much job security when the season begins. And that is fine with Canada, who doesn’t mind the heat that will be hotter than the summer sun.

“I’ve got a great job,” Canada said in June, repeating an oft-used phrase of his. “I can’t imagine a job where you don’t have pressure, right? It’s easy for people to talk about pressure and focus, right? I’m excited. I would not want any other job.”

It’s one Canada might not have in 2024 if the Steelers don’t show marked improvement on offense this season. Team president Art Rooney II resisted the outside noise to make a change at offensive coordinator in the offseason, opting to keep the proverbial band together with Canada overseeing Pickett’s progression at quarterback.

“They seem to work well together,” Rooney II said shortly after the 2022 season ended. “They built a good working relationship. To start over again with a new offensive coordinator could wind up back in the same situation where the first half of the season you’re breaking in a new coordinator.

“We felt like there was enough to build on that we want to continue to keep that group together.”

After Roethlisberger’s retirement, the Steelers brought in Mitch Trubisky to run the offense. Then, they drafted Pickett in the first round. When the offense struggled to score points in the first quarter of the season, Trubisky was benched, and Pickett endured the inevitable rookie growing pains as the Steelers took a 2-6 record into their bye.

The week off marked a turnaround for the offense in general and Pickett in particular. Behind a revitalized running game and jelling offensive line, the Steelers began controlling the clock and piecing together long drives. After throwing eight interceptions spanning his first five appearances, Pickett had just one in his final eight games.

Still, the Steelers didn’t exactly pile up the points while going 7-2 in the second half and nearly qualifying for the playoffs. But the play down the stretch — the Steelers scored 28 points, their most in a win, in the season finale — helped Canada’s cause.

General manager Omar Khan also provided Canada with pieces aimed at helping the offense succeed. Wide receiver Allen Robinson joins the starting duo of Diontae Johnson and second-year threat George Pickens at wide receiver. Darnell Washington was added to a deep tight end room. Isaac Seumalo was signed to start at left guard, and first-round pick Broderick Jones could supplant incumbent Dan Moore at left tackle.

The Steelers also hired Glenn Thomas as an offensive assistant to work alongside Canada.

“We’re excited about what we’ve got and the development we’ve made over the course of time with the guys we had and some new additions,” Canada said.

Rooney II pointed at the team’s success in the second half of the season in converting third downs and sustaining long drives as positives.

A negative? Scoring touchdowns in the red zone. The Steelers came away with six points on 52% of their trips inside the opponent’s 20-yard-line. That gave them a No. 22 ranking for the second year in a row. The teams that played in the Super Bowl, Kansas City and Philadelphia, finished second and third, respectively, in scoring red-zone touchdowns.

“We’re aware of what those issues are,” Canada said. “We had some missed assignments. It doesn’t matter why we weren’t successful. That’s all we want to talk about, but the bottom line is we have to be more productive down there. As a staff, we spent a lot of time on what that was. We spent a lot of time in meetings and installation. That’s been a primary focus.”

So has been designing plays that emphasize Pickett’s strengths, which include his ability to make plays while exiting the pocket. The duo have history — Canada once recruited Pickett to play at Pitt — and have a good relationship, Pickett said.

“Constant communication, that’s the key between a quarterback and the OC,” Pickett said. “Knowing what he likes, knowing what I like. Seeing the situations and understanding how he likes to call a game. He helps me out, so having that constant communication is key.”

The last time the Steelers were as deficient at scoring points and getting touchdowns inside the red zone was 2019. That’s the year Roethlisberger was limited to six quarters of play before sustaining a season-ending elbow injury, and the Steelers averaged 18.1 points.

The following season, with Big Ben back, the Steelers improved to 26.6 points, yet it wasn’t enough for offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner to keep his job for another season. Canada was promoted from quarterbacks coach to oversee the offense, with mixed results to follow.

Canada understands what is at stake this season.

“There’s pressure every day in life if you’ve got something worth doing,” he said. “So I don’t feel any more than I ever feel. I want to do the best job I can for us to win football games.”