Steelers firing of Canada is unprecedented in franchise history

Matt Canada. Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers firing of Matt Canada is unprecedented in franchise history

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 11/21/23

The Pittsburgh Steelers decision to fire offensive coordinator Matt Canada on Tuesday was noteworthy for two reasons.

The first is that it ended a miserable two-and-a-half year run of offense that had seen fans consistently calling for his job.

The second is that the Steelers simply do not fire coaches.

Especially not during the season.

Pittsburgh is famous for only have three different head coaches (Mike Tomlin, Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll) since the start of the 1969 season, but it is also notoriously patient with its assistants. So patient, in fact, that Tuesday's firing of Canada was the first time the Steelers have fired a head coach or coordinator during the season since the 1941 season.

Even then it involved Bert Bell, who was a co-owner of the team, firing himself.

History today in Pittsburgh: When the Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada today, it marked the first time they have made an in-season coaching change since 1941, per @PaulHembo.

The last time the Steelers fired a head coach/coordinator midseason was 1941, when the… pic.twitter.com/hsi1T1AvdS
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 21, 2023

That just shows how bad things had become with the Steelers offense.

If it gets them to make a coaching change in-season, things must be dire.

Canada ran the Steelers offense for 46 games (including playoffs) and never saw the team record 400 yards in a single game and only topped the 30-point mark two times.

As of Sunday the Steelers rank 28th in the league in points and 28th in total yards. Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett has also failed to take a step forward in his second season.

It is clear something needed to change, and it resulted in the Steelers making an unprecedented (for them) change on the sidelines.

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