Sitting at 2-2 on the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers enter their Week 5 matchup against the 3-1 Baltimore Ravens with the opportunity to capture first place in the AFC North.
But if Pittsburgh loses its second straight game, it could have ramifications, with the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting that offensive coordinator Matt Canada could be on the hot seat if the Steelers offense doesn’t turn around.
“Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada and Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael have received the support of their head coaches publicly,” Rapoport wrote Sunday. “But if production doesn’t ramp up, their respective seats will be hot, based on conversations with sources close to the situation.”
Now in his third season as Pittsburgh’s offensive coordinator, Canada has drawn criticism from fans as the Steelers offense has struggled through the first four weeks of the 2023 campaign. Entering Sunday, Pittsburgh ranks 25th in the NFL in scoring with 15.5 points per game and 29th in total offensive yards.
At one point during a win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 2, fans at Acrisure Stadium even chanted “Fire Canada!”
“I appreciate their passion,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters of the chant, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “It’s our job to win and thus entertain them. We don’t begrudge them for that. We want them to be fat and sassy and spoiled. That’s our job.”
[NFL.com]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.