Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback coach Mike Sullivan is reportedly fielding interviews for vacant offensive coordinator positions. One might think, that’s all well and good—after all, it would be too awkward for him to remain after serving as interim play caller in 2023.
That’s what Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette speculated recently, yet in the past day or two it seems his tone has changed a bit. After all, let’s start with the practicalities of the matter. What are Sullivan’s options if he doesn’t get an offensive coordinator job? And how likely is he to get one? I wouldn’t say “very”.
“Sullivan could be retained as the team’s quarterback coach because he has a good relationship with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph”, Dulac noted in his most recent article. That seems rather more positive than when he said just a day or two earlier that it was unlikely he would stay.
He also addressed it in his latest chat session when talking about the theoretical influence of a new offensive coordinator. He wrote that it would be up to head coach Mike Tomlin, in all likelihood, which assistant coaches remain. “That could happen with QB coach Mike Sullivan”.
Indeed, I see no reason that wouldn’t happen unless he does get an offensive coordinator job, which I consider unlikely. He’s not exactly the prototype for what teams are looking for these days. For one thing, he’s about to turn 57 years old. Most candidates are decades younger or close enough.
The Steelers do seem to like Sullivan as their quarterbacks coach, and he has now been in the job for three years. That’s what he’s done for a good chunk of his career. He’s been in the NFL for 20 years and has only spent four as a coordinator. He had been out of the league for two years when Tomlin hired him.
Of course, it does depend on what happens with the offensive coordinator position. The Steelers may not give unilateral staffing control to their next coordinator, but it may be a pragmatic change to fit a new system. And they will likely be open to suggestions given how crucial this hire is.
Thus far, the only confirmed interview is Thomas Brown, previously serving as coordinator for the Carolina Panthers. It is also noted that Los Angeles Rams assistant coach Zac Robinson is expected to interview in the near future.
It’s not uncommon for coaches who serve in interim roles after an in-season firing to return to their prior roles the next season. And Sullivan didn’t have his official title changed. The Steelers just added play-calling responsibilities to his plate. Tomlin named running backs coach Eddie Faulkner the interim coordinator, not him. So I’m not sure how “awkward” it all is. Perhaps we’ll see based on the level of seriousness he attracts in these interviews.
