Steelers on the verge of losing another top transfer target as the super prolific player has made public his intensions to sign a monumental deal with….
For the immediate future, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will stay in his position; an extension to his contract is anticipated prior to the start of the next campaign. However, Pittsburgh is about to undergo upheaval.
Tomlin stated he is still “in the early stages” of his hunt for a new offensive coordinator during his season-ending news conference on Thursday. Eddie Faulkner, the temporary offensive coordinator, and Mike Sullivan, the quarterbacks coach turned play caller, will not be on that list of potential candidates.
In terms of what they accomplished for us in the closing moments, Tomlin expressed gratitude for their efforts. “But I’m considering candidates from outside.”
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Tomlin stated that he will pursue a candidate with previous NFL coordinator experience, in contrast to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ promotion of Matt Canada. The coach added that general manager Omar Khan, owner and club president Art Rooney II, and he will choose the new coordinator.
Tomlin’s search criteria mark a substantial divergence from the team’s customary practices. Since 2001, Pittsburgh has had six offensive coordinators. After serving as assistant coaches, Mike Mularkey, Ken Whisenhunt, Bruce Arians, Randy Fichtner, and Canada were the five that received internal promotions. Of those, only one (Arians) had worked as an NFL coordinator before. Todd Haley was the sole outside hiring, and he had a special relationship with the team because his father worked in the Steelers front office for twenty years.
Hiring a coordinator is a multiyear choice with enduring consequences, as the Steelers learned the hard way. Over the previous three seasons, Pittsburgh had the fifth-worst scoring offense (18.1 points per game) in the NFL, wasting a significant portion of T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick’s primes. Additionally, Canada was unable to advance Mason Rudolph or assist Kenny Pickett in Year 2.
Tomlin stated, “I want us to be dynamic and adaptable.” We must, of course, score more points. My goal is to be able to deceive defenders. I want to make the most of every talent that we possess. Based on my observations thus far, I’m enthusiastic about this process and the skill pool available.
“I’m extremely interested in taking in what I can from this process and hearing other people’s perspectives on their ideas. Yes, I can definitely picture what it looks like. I’m willing to learn from this process, for sure.
Tomlin said that he thinks the starting quarterback for the following season is already on the roster. He recognized that there will be some competition and that 2022 first-round selection pick Kenny Pickett will have a “huge” year. Additionally, Mason Rudolph, a pending free agent, is someone the team would prefer to keep.
Making the most of the chosen candidate will constitute a “significant component” of the coordinator’s hiring process.
Tomlin declared, “The quarterback drives this game.” “The quarterback drives offenses.” Thus, in my opinion, a big part of the search is their experience in that field.
Let’s examine a few potential prospects as the Steelers start to plan their coordinator search with a wider focus than normal.
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USC senior offensive analyst Kliff Kingsbury
One could argue that Kingsbury is a quarterback whisperer. In his four seasons as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, he guided Kyler Murray to two Pro Bowls and the award of Offensive Rookie of the Year. Prior to that, he was Texas Tech’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Patrick Mahomes, and he assisted Johnny Manziel in his 2012 Heisman Trophy victory while at Texas A&M. This cycle, he will be in high demand. He has a meeting arranged with the Chicago Bears, who may chase Caleb Williams, the quarterback he helped develop at USC.
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49ers passing game expert Klint Kubiak
As the season progressed, the Steelers adopted a number of ideas from Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan’s schemes. Kubiak, who is 36 years old, has clear experience in that area. He contributed to the development of an offensive strategy that provided Brock Purdy with numerous short reads and deep completions. In 2021, he served as the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, where he gained expertise calling plays.
Commander’s offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy
Bieniemy traveled to Washington this season to show that he could be successful without Andy Reid and Aaron Rodgers after he was passed up for head coaching positions. Considering that Ron Rivera was sacked, Bieniemy might also be available for hire. The Steelers are expected to run a lot of the ball coming season, so that is something to keep in mind. With an average of 37 passes each game, the Washington Commanders passed more than any other club in the league.
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Coach of the Dolphins quarterbacks and coordinator of the passing game is Darrell Bevell.
Over the course of his career, the 54-year-old Bevell has collaborated with a number of well-known quarterbacks, including Brad Johnson, Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford, Trevor Lawrence, Brett Favre, and now Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins had the second-best scoring and passing offenses in the league this season in Miami.
Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron
The 44-year-old Waldron helped revive Geno Smith’s career after the football community had given up on him, helping the quarterback win the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year award. Here, the argument would be that maybe he might work the same magic on Pickett.
Coach of the Rams quarterbacks, Zac Robinson
Prior to the 2022 season, the 37-year-old received a promotion to coordinator of the passing game and coach of quarterbacks. Like Tomlin when he was appointed head coach by the Steelers, he is seen as an emerging coach. He is an additional candidate with experience managing the McVay offense.
Another pupil of McVay is the 37-year-old offensive coordinator for the Panthers, Thomas Brown. On Thursday, he had his head coach interview for the Tennessee Titans, marking his third consecutive season in that role. There is cause for doubt, too, as the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots shared the record for the fewest points scored this season.
Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur
Another Shanahan/McVay disciple is the younger brother of Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur. Although he worked with McVay this season, the 36-year-old would be interested in calling plays himself after spending two seasons (2021–2022) with the New York Jets.
Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore
Moore, a former quarterback for Boise State, has interviewed for head coach positions four times in a row over the offseason, including four times in 2022. This cycle, he only had one head coach interview, which was for the Los Angeles Chargers. As offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys from 2019 to 2022, he assisted in leading the team. His one and only season with the Chargers was not what everyone had anticipated.
Former Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich
Someone with ties to Pittsburgh who is worth keeping an eye on is Leftwich. The former backup quarterback for the Steelers was successful in Tampa Bay. But to what extent was that due to his skills as a coordinator, and to what extent was the offense designed by Bruce Arians, the head coach at the time, and Tom Brady behind center?
Former Panthers and Colts head coach Frank Reich
Reich performed admirably in Indianapolis, where he tailored his approach to the quarterback’s requirements in order to maximize the performance of Carson Wentz, Philip Rivers, Andrew Luck, and Jacoby Brissett. He was fired in Carolina after 11 games due to his offense’s significant struggles, and at 62 years old, he is neither young nor inventive.
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The former Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels
Despite his two head coaching failures, McDaniels has a track record of success calling plays. This offseason, he will have options, and he can run an offense, even if he lacks the managerial experience that comes with holding the big chair.
The starting quarterback for the following season, according to former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, is already on the roster. However, Roman might be the best person to implement a run-heavy scheme that releases the quarterback’s legs in a manner akin to what he did with Lamar Jackson if the Steelers decide to turn around and aim for a more mobile quarterback, like, say, Justin Fields via trade.
Former Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey
Dorsey was an NFL player who spent six seasons on rosters after winning the 2001 national title with the Miami Hurricanes. After being promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator in 2022 to succeed Brian Daboll, Dorsey was let go ten games into 2023 due to a string of errors by Buffalo. However, while he was the offensive coordinator, the Bills attack finished fourth in yards and third in points in the NFL.
Additional lessons from Tomlin
Here are a few more random items from Tomlin’s end-of-season analysis while we wait for further updates regarding the offensive coordinator position:
Changes in defensive coaching
Even though a new coordinator will probably bring in some of his own players, there may be other shuffles on the offensive end of the field. When asked about his defense staff, Tomlin would not rule out making adjustments.
“At this point, I won’t be making any assumptions about staffing,” he declared. “I simply admit that, at this time of year, things do change. At this point, it’s just a part of our company. I’m considerate and sensitive to it.
In comparison to other clubs, the Steelers’ staff is not particularly strong. Tomlin seemed willing to include more voices.
“As part of the annual end-of-season review, I’m looking at all staffing components,” Tomlin stated. “Adding more knowledge is undoubtedly a part of that.”
Najee Harris’s fifth-year option is most likely
By May, the Steelers must determine whether to accept Harris’ fifth-year option. According to Over the Cap, retaining Harris for the 2025 campaign would cost $6.7 million (completely guaranteed). When asked about the choice, Tomlin seemed to support it, citing Harris’s accomplishment of 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons as the only NFL back to do so since Washington’s Alfred Morris (2012–2014).
Tomlin remarked, “He’s been what we needed him to be.” That just seems to indicate his dependability and availability, in my opinion. He has shown great stability.
T.J. Watt on the mend; no major procedures are anticipated
Watt’s recovery from an MCL sprain is doing nicely, according to Tomlin. “He probably would have been available” if the Steelers had made it to the divisional round of the playoffs.
Although the coach does not believe any players would require serious surgery, he did mention that a couple might require “some cleanup, procedural things.”
The punter moves?
Unusual for the Steelers, punter Brad Wing was added to the practice squad before to their disappointing postseason performance. They appear to be willing to let go of Pressley Harvin III.
Tomlin remarked, “I’ll admit that Pressley wasn’t consistent enough, especially towards the end.”
