Steelers insider reveals bad news for Steeler Nation regarding Matt Canada's 2023 approach

Matt Canada is entering his third season as an offensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While it isn't uncommon for fans to heap all the blame on the OC when things go wrong, Canada got dragged in 2022 for his play-calling. It wasn't just fans that were critical, it was the national media as well.  

During his time as coordinator, Canada has had three starting quarterbacks: Ben Roethlisberger, Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett. However, this is professional football, and that can't be an excuse. He needs to be able to roll with the changes. 

Canada signed a three-year contract with the Steelers in 2021 and after a subpar performance in the first two years of that deal, most assumed he would be fired. Fans and analysts were initially expecting it to come during the bye week in 2022. When it didn't, many assumed it would come at the end of the season. Instead, head coach Mike Tomlin announced that Canada would return in 2023. 

The Steelers and Tomlin are well known to play their cards close to their vest and not reveal their plans or thought processes in detail. While it wasn't confirmed, it seemed likely that Canada earned himself a "stay of execution" with the offensive turnaround the team made at the end of last season. 

The offense did improve, it would be wrong to say it didn't grow from where it started. It looked terrible in 2021 under Roethlisberger and the fans mostly blamed him for staying past his time and the offensive line for not being solid.

Then in 2022, the team started Trubisky and once again there were issues with play-calling despite an improved offensive line. After Trubisky was benched in Week 4 in favor of Pickett, the same weaknesses were present. In fact, rumors swirled that Pickett had the most success when he went off-script and ran the offense himself. 

Regardless of the reasons for the offensive growth, it was real and it was profound. After the bye week, they looked like a different team, finishing 7-2. While there is always room for improvement, the offensive line stayed healthy, Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris were effectively running the ball and while the passing game wasn't perfect, they were getting it done. Pickett was able to throw game-winning touchdowns against Las Vegas and Baltimore. This made him the first rookie to throw back-to-back game-winning touchdowns. 

With the improvements the team made, many felt it made sense to keep Canada another season, allow him to finish out his contract, and see how the team does in 2023. The proponents of keeping Canada felt that it would be damaging to the young quarterback to change coordinators in his second year. In addition, Pickett was originally the third-string quarterback in training camp. He did not have the opportunities the others did to work first-team reps, reps he will get this year in camp.

Does that make this season a kind of "put up or shut up" season for Canada? With talk of the Steelers' predictable, boring offense all last season, it certainly seems like a change is necessary. Can we expect Canada to come out this fall with a fully reloaded and recharged offense?

Steelers insider Gerry Dulac for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette doesn't see evidence that Canada is showing the awareness needed to make big changes. Dulac was asked during one of his frequent chats by "SMF" about what he expects from Canada.

"It really looked like Pickett, Najee, and Freiermuth saved Canada's job with the comeback wins vs [Las Vegas] and Baltimore," Dulac was asked. "The good vibes for all took the heat off the OC. But most of their big plays were on the fly and unscripted. What evidence is there Canada has changed, modified, or improved his predictable and vanilla play-calling? Does he even acknowledge change is needed?"

Dulac is rarely one to mince words and he certainly doesn't with his response. 

"There is none yet," Dulac replied. "That will only come once the season starts. He better acknowledge change is needed. Or there will be a change of address after the season."

So does keeping Canada show that the Steelers are committed to working through adverse situations? Or does it show that the team is not keen on change?