At his last press conference of the 2020 NFL season, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said changes would be made within the organization. Using a form of quoting ‘the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result’, it looks like the Steelers will make tough decisions in the coming weeks. Surprisingly, it was only the next day when three coaching contracts for the 2021 season were not renewed, and one coach retiring. The Steelers separated especially after just three seasons in that particular role with attacking coordinator Randy Fichtner.
One thing we need to remember is that while we can watch things appear based on people’s words and body language, there’s an awful lot going on behind the scenes that Steelers fans cannot judge. Sometimes it’s because we realize that the team’s top player is an absolute nightmare to deal with on a daily basis. Other times, one thing that seems to be the problem may not be the cause of problems.
One assumption that Steelers fans have mastered over the past three seasons was that Randy Fichtner was hand-picked to be the Steelers attacking coordinator by full-back Ben Roethlisberger. His quarterback coach since 2010, when the Steelers moved to Todd Haley as coordinator, has taken no time to promote Fichtner to the position.
It appears that Ben Roethlisberger had the person he wanted to work with to lead the Steelers offense to greatness. Unfortunately, the 2019 season was thrown out after Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. But in three seasons, the Steelers attack sometimes struggled, even during their 11-game victory to start the 2020 season. After certain things were figured out by opposing defense, it seemed like the Steelers didn’t have much to offer in terms of adjustments, just ‘let Ben just be Ben’.
The Steelers moving in from Fichtner have raised several questions about the future of the organization. Here is just an example:
Did the relationship between Fichtner and Roethlisberger sour?
It was during the 2019 season where comments by Coach Fichtner and quarterback Mason Rudolph began to raise a red flag among some. It seems many times when the offense of the Steelers, which was regular in 2019, was mocked, coach Fichtner did not hesitate to throw his young quarterback under the bus. On the other hand, some of Rudolph’s remarks about things that Coach Fichtner bumps into his brain may give a little pause to think Rudolph is suffering from ‘paralysis through analysis’.
If one listens to Fichtner’s comments and press conferences after 2020, it seems that sometimes there were times when the Steelers offense worked, it was not Ben Roethlisberger who, according to Fichtner, drew plays. But when the Steelers offense had a problem, Fichtner seemed to go out of his way to point out that it was Rothlisberger who was calling the plays. Maybe the Steelers coordinator takes credit when credit needs to be given, but blaming when it’s time for responsibility does not go down well with the Steelers’ future Hall of Fame fullback.
Does Fichtner’s move show that the Steelers are prepared to move on from Roethlisberger?
Another question would be if the Steelers are willing to make big changes in offense, especially in terms of philosophy and scheme, is that something Ben Roethlisberger is interested in doing late in his career? If Roethlisberger really intends to play one or more additional seasons with the Steelers, is a change in the offensive system something he wants to do at this stage of his career?
Maybe this is something the Steelers discussed with Roethlisberger before making the decision. Maybe it’s not. If the Steelers were willing to make this change regardless of Roethlisberger’s opinion, knowing that he could choose to hang it had to be something they were willing to live with.
Was there more to the Randy Fichtner situation than meets the eye?
As mentioned in the division’s first question, it seemed like Randy Fichtner often wanted to say a face when it comes to the successes and failures of the Steelers offense. The fact that the Steelers brought in a coach for the 2020 season, a position Fichtner has held for ten years, even when he was the attacking coordinator, was the writing on the wall that the Steelers would change a coordinator. the last season really brought to the fore? Did the Steelers just wait until Fichtner’s contract to expire? Was Coach Fichtner really in charge of the offense this season, or is he gradually removing his responsibilities? Was there a turning point in the season in which the Steelers knew that Fichtneer could not handle the responsibility?
If you know how the Pittsburgh Steelers work, unless Randy Fichtner goes out of his way to make his side of the story known, do not look to the Steelers to throw him under the bus and expose his shortcomings (just like he wanted to do). That’s just not the way they do business.
Only 48 hours later, reports emerged that the Steelers were planning to promote Matt Canada as coach Matt Canada to the offensive coordinator role. Nothing has been officially presented and no interviews have yet been conducted by the Steelers. The Steelers cannot just promote Canada without interviewing, as coordinator positions now also fall under the Rooney rule. But with Coach Canada interviewing for the coordinator position in Miami, the report from the Steelers intentions appears to be a deliberate move not to lose their forerunner.
Renting Canada also raises additional questions. Here is another example:
How much does Canada have for the Steelers 2020 offense?
Some do not like lease for the Steelers coordinator. But how much of the inner circle was Canada in 2020? Did he have much say in the Steelers offense, or was he just there to come up with ideas and help Mason Rudolph develop? While these are interesting questions, there is a chance that some of these could be answered by the 2021 season.
Was the Steelers simply getting to know Canada better in 2020 for a position they knew they wanted to offer him?
Upon his arrival, a large portion of Steelers’ Nation said that Canada would now come in to vouch for the Steelers offensive coordinator position as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Did the Steelers know they were moving away from Fichtner after 2020, without any major change? Was Canada there to ‘light the fire’ or to take note of Fichtner? Was the Steelers taking over Canada simply to audition for the job and show what he could do at the NFL level before he actually took over?
Is Ben Roethlisberger willing to carry out Matt Canada’s offense, or will Canada have to adjust to Roethlisberger if he stays?
As outlined here and there at BTSC, there often seems to be a break between some of the philosophies the Steelers implement from a Matt Canada system and Ben Roethlisberger’s ability to execute these concepts. A good explanation of the situation can be seen here thanks to our own Geoffrey Benedict:
If Canada is the offensive coordinator of Steelers next season, as reported, does that mean the Steelers of Ben Roethlisberger are moving on? If Roethlisberger returns as reported, will Roethlisberger adapt to the Canada system, or will it be the other way around? Will Canada be captivated by what he really wants to do based on the Steelers’ aging quarterback?
It’s hard to say if and when these questions will get definitive answers, but during the off-season, those are the type of things Steelers fans regularly discuss. It’s hard to say how long it will take until there is an official announcement about Ben Roethlisberger for the 2021 season, but according to reports, the Steelers want to move on next season with their Super Bowl full-back.
So, what are your thoughts on the Fichtner-Roethlisberger-Canada triangle? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below.