Steelers name Matt Canada as offensive coordinator
For the second consecutive time, the Pittsburgh Steelers have promoted their quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator.
Matt Canada was named offensive coordinator Monday, replacing Randy Fichtner, whose contract was not renewed after three seasons.
Canada, 49, just completed his first year as quarterbacks coach — and first year in an NFL capacity — on Mike Tomlin’s staff. Fichtner was Tomlin’s quarterbacks coach before being promoted after the 2017 season to replace Todd Haley.
The Steelers also interviewed former Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson and Los Angeles Chargers quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton for the position. It was not announced whether Canada will retain his quarterbacks coach role.
Before joining the Steelers, Canada was a longtime college coordinator. He spent the 2016 season at Pitt, turning the Panthers into one of the ACC’s highest-scoring offenses. Pitt set a school record that year by averaging 42 points and led the nation in red-zone touchdown percentage.
Canada was lured to LSU after the season but was not retained after one year there.
Canada was interim head coach at Maryland in 2018 before spending the 2019 season out of football. He also was quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator at Northern Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Canada’s offenses are known for misdirection and motion, tendencies that were evident early last season with the Steelers but disappeared as the season wore on.
By promoting Canada, the Steelers will have stability atop the offensive coaching staff, which could ease the transition if quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returns for an 18th season. Roethlisberger would be more apt to return to a familiar offensive system rather than start over with a coordinator brought in from outside the organization.
If Roethlisberger doesn’t return, Mason Rudolph likely will enter 2021 as the starting quarterback.
Canada was hired last year as quarterbacks coach, in part, to develop Rudolph, who went 5-3 as a starter in 2019 and played well in his only start of 2020. No. 3 quarterback Joshua Dobbs will be a free agent in March. The other quarterback on the offseason roster is former first-round draft pick Dwayne Haskins, who was released by Washington in late December.
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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