The Pittsburgh Steelers want to talk with Los Angeles Rams Pass Game Coordinator Zac Robinson.
The problem? So does everyone else.
If there’s one name in demand for offensive coordinator vacancies this hiring cycle, it’s Robinson’s. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the latest team to come calling Robinson’s way.
Tampa Bay is looking for a new offensive coordinator after losing David Canales, hired yesterday as the Carolina Panthers’ head coach. And of course, the Panthers will be searching a new OC as Canales assembles his coaching staff.
As Rapoport’s tweet notes, the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders have shown interest in speaking with Robinson. But the frontrunner to hire him might be the Atlanta Falcons. With Raheem Morris hired Thursday, Robinson is widely considered the favorite to land there. Morris and Robinson coached together in Los Angeles, and given Morris’ defensive background, it’s likely Robinson would have clear control over the Falcons’ offense. A hire might not come immediately but the expectation is that Atlanta will be Robinson’s next stop.
Two of the three names connected to Pittsburgh’s offensive coordinator search (at this point, I’ll leave out Kliff Kingsbury until there’s more reporting than Peter King’s off-hand comment) are in high demand. Pittsburgh is reportedly speaking with Houston Texans QB Coach Jerrod Johnson today, but he’s also received several looks around the league.
The question becomes if Texans OC Bobby Slowik becomes the head coach of one of the two teams with remaining openings, Seattle and Washington. He’s still a candidate for both jobs but it’s unclear if he’s the favorite. Reporting indicates the Commanders are waiting for Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson. Slowik doesn’t seem to be a favorite in Seattle, but the Seahawks held at least one virtual interview with him. If Slowik gets hired elsewhere, it’s logical Jerrod Johnson would step in as the Texans OC, remaining with QB C.J. Stroud and a turned-around Houston team.
It’s a projection but possible that the Steelers simply lose out on two of the candidates they’ve shown the most reported interest in. If so, it’d leave them with Brown, whose stock cooled off after a tough year in Carolina, and whoever else is on their list. Pittsburgh’s interest in top names is a good thing but it comes with the cost of potentially missing out on other coveted candidates because Robinson and Johnson are so in demand. If the Steelers can land either one, not only do they get a rising offensive mind, whatever they presented was appealing enough to have that guy choose the Steelers over several other options.
While there might feel like an urgency to hire someone right away, the Steelers know they have to get this hire right. The NFL world is about to converge on Mobile, Ala., for next week’s Senior Bowl, a time to scout and evaluate prospects but also a chance to network and interview coaches, even informally. My expectation since the start of this process is that the Steelers will hire their next offensive coordinator in the first week of February, probably later in the week than earlier, and that still seems to be a reasonable timeline. But the question of “who” that’ll be is wide open with the Steelers targeting two of the hottest coordinator names this cycle.
