Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada reportedly on hot seat in Week 5

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Matt Canada has heard and recognizes frustrations from the fan base over the offense led by play-caller Matt Canada. With Pittsburgh fading down the NFL standings, it appears the franchise is at least open to making an eventual change.

The Steelers have had one of the NFL’s worst offenses in 2023. Entering NFL games today, Pittsburgh is averaging the fewest first downs per game (13.3) and it has the fewest red-zone scoring attempts per week (1.3).

Pittsburgh Steelers offense stats: 15.5 points per game (25th), 4.6 yards per play (27th), 36.21% third-down conversion rate (21st), 205.3 gross passing yards per game (24th), 7.69% sack rate (20th in NFL)

The offensive issues have led to fans becoming increasingly disgruntled at the repeated woes experienced since Canada became the play-caller. Tomlin supported the fans’ rights to chant for Canada to be fired in September then said after a Week 4 loss that changes were coming to the team.

However, Canada remains the play-caller heading into Sunday’s matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. While he remains in charge of the offense, though, there is reportedly a growing sense of frustration in Pittsburgh.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, there are already conversations around the NFL and close to the Steelers’ organization that Canada’s seat is heating up. If Pittsburgh’s offense doesn’t turn around quickly, it’s possible rare in-season changes could be made.

Even after Tomlin said following the 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans that changes were coming, it was never realistic to expect Canada to be fired. With NFL teams limited to three practice days in a week, it would’ve given the new offensive coordinator very limited time to work with the team and implement their own changes.

Circumstances change after Sunday. Following the Week 5 matchup, Pittsburgh heads into its bye week. It would provide Tomlin with the perfect opportunity to move Canada away from play-calling, allowing someone else to take the reigns of this struggling offense.

By making the move in Week 6, Pittsburgh could use the next two weeks to make significant tweaks to its system and there could be a smoother transition to the interim offensive coordinator. However, the Steelers’ history of rarely making in-season changes to the coaching staff still suggests Canada might stick around for the remainder of the season.

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Pittsburgh Steelers fans are sick and tired of offensive coordinator Matt Canada and let him loudly know during the team’s game in Week 5 how much they despise him.

There has been a lot of heat building on Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada in his third season with the team. In his first year with the organization, the offense averaged just over 20 points per game in the final season for legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. However, the middle-of-the-road performances were put on a unit led by an aging QB instead of the play calling and scheme.

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In 2022, with Roethlisberger retired, Canada was given a lot of leeway since the offense was in a transition period and a rookie was under center for much of the season. While their points per game average (18.1) was down, it was to be expected. However, now in year three the team continuing on a consistent regression has Steelers fans fed up.

Last month, Pittsburgh fans let it be known how much they loathed the coordinator when they broke out in chants of “Fire Matt Canada” in Week 2 versus the Cleveland Browns. Fortunately, the team won that game. However, after that win the unit has struggled in splitting their next two and created a groundswell for head coach Mike Tomlin to make a change at offensive coordinator.

Yet, the long-time head coach has stayed loyal to his OC and has not suggested his job is in any danger. That of course hasn’t made Steelers fans any less frustrated, and on a day where the Pittsburgh offense had a little over 100 total yards a few minutes into the third quarter, the crowd in attendance at Acrisure Stadium let him hear it.

In a video that made its way online, the crowd at the Steelers home arena could again be heard chanting “Fire Matt Canada” during their ugly Week 5 game versus rivals the Baltimore Ravens. With just a few minutes left in the fourth quarter, the offense had just eight points to the Ravens 10 in a battle of two ineffective offenses on Sunday.