UPDATE: Steelers are retaining Matt Canada for 2023

The Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly planning on retaining Matt Canada as offensive coordinator.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in full swing of their 2023 offseason. While a number of coaching changes and interviews are going on around the NFL in regards to head coaches, general managers, and coordinators, the Pittsburgh Steelers may be sitting pat with Matt Canada as their offensive coordinator for the 2023 season. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers have no plans of moving on from Matt Canada prior to the 2023 NFL season.

When looking at the Steelers offense as a whole throughout all of 2022, not much can be said about it effectiveness. Ranked 23rd in the NFL in offensivef yards and 26th in points scored with 18.1 per game, the Steelers high rank comes in their running game where they are ranked in the middle of the league at 16th with 122.2 yards per game. As for the Steelers passing attack, they averaged just over 200 yards per game which ranked 24th of the NFL.

What may have bought Matt Canada another season with the Steelers is the improvements in the offense since the bye week. In looking at just the last nine games of the regular season for every NFL team, the Pittsburgh Steelers offense lands in the middle of the NFL in yardage where they are ranked 16th with their points per game at 17th with 20.9 since their bye week. The Steelers rushing attack was the 8th best in the NFL over their last nine games with an average of 146.4 yards per game. As for the passing attack, there was not much difference as the Steelers finished 23rd in the NFL over the last nine games averaging just under 200 yards per game.

Another key statistic comes with the Steelers ability to protect the quarterback and take care of the football. Through the first eight games, the Steelers surrendered 21 sacks while cutting the number down to 17 over the last nine games. More significantly, the Steelers 14 turnovers in their first eight games was cut to only five since their bye week.

If Matt Canada truly is returning for 2023, I’m sure it will be met with some mixed reaction by Steelers’ Nation, the majority of which is expected to be of the negative variety. With the Steelers not typically known for firing coordinators but instead letting their contracts expire, Canada is reported to be under contract through the 2023 NFL season.

Stay tuned to Behind The Steel Curtain for continued coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 offseason.

UPDATE: The Steelers have made it official that Canada will indeed be the play caller in 2023.