Over the last few weeks, the disdain from the fan base and some in the local and national media for Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada has gotten stronger and stronger.
In the last two home games for the Steelers — Week Two against the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football and Week Five against the Baltimore Ravens — fans have voiced their displeasure to ownership, chanting “Fire Canada!” after poor performances from the offense.
That disdain carried over into a different sport on Tuesday night as fans at PPG Paints Arena chanted “Fire Canada!” at times during the Pittsburgh Penguins’ NHL home opener.
For Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Steelers’ beat writer Ray Fittipaldo, who appeared on the 93.7 The Fan Morning Show Wednesday, the chants are getting “pretty out of hand.”
“It’s a little bit ridiculous. You do see some of those cross-sports chants, but usually it’s a good thing. …I don’t know if I’ve ever heard one that negative towards somebody,” Fittipaldo stated on the Fan Morning Show, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “It’s getting pretty out of hand.”
The chants Tuesday night at the Penguins game show just how fed up fans are with the offense under Canada. While it does seem a bit ridiculous and getting out of hand just slightly, this is a passionate city and fan base. They are unhappy, but they can’t force the team to make changes.
So, what they can do is voice their displeasure, and they are doing it the only way they know how: chanting “Fire Canada!” any chance they can get.
Currently, the Steelers have one of the league’s worst offenses in the league. Pittsburgh is 30th in yards per game (286.2) under Canada. They are 27th in passing yards per game with just 187.8, and 30th in rushing yards per game at 80.4.
To top it all off, the Steelers are tied for 30th in the NFL in points per game at just 15.8.
It’s not just a 2023 problem for Pittsburgh offensively, either. It’s been an issue since Canada took over. Expectations were that the Steelers would move on from him after the 2022 season, but the Steelers opted for continuity for second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett while letting Canada coach on the final year of his three-year contract.
So far in the first five games, the offense hasn’t taken a step forward many expected. Maybe that occurs once standout wide receiver Diontae Johnson returns from injury, but right now the offense is a mess. Fans are doing what they can in this situation, and that’s voice their displeasure.
Don’t expect it to stop anytime soon, either.
