As things stand today, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coaching staff consists of ten men. The same number as they had last year. But that’s where the similarities end. Pittsburgh has logged heavy turnover with its offensive coaches since the season ended. Considering the continued lackluster results, that’s a good thing.
More changes could be coming. But as things stand today, here’s who left, who entered, and who saw their title changed.
Steelers Offensive Coaching Staff Exiting
1. OC Matt Canada (fired midseason)
2. WRs Coach Frisman Jackson
3. Offensive Assistant Glenn Thomas
4. Assistant QBs Coach David Corley
5. Quality Control Coach Matt Tomsho
Steelers Offensive Coaching Staff Entering
1. OC Arthur Smith
2. WRs Coach Zach Azzanni
3. QBs Coach Tom Arth
4. Offensive Assistant Matt Baker
5. Offensive Assistant Mateo Kambui
New Title
1. Senior Offensive Assistant Mike Sullivan (Previously QBs Coach)
That’s half of the Steelers’ coaching staff who has changed. Five men exiting, including Canada mid-season, with five new hires entering. Another, Sullivan, has shifted from QBs Coach to Senior Offensive Assistant with duties that aren’t immediately clear but aren’t something I’d call a promotion. Losing out on running a room, especially one important like quarterback, to become a catch-all assistant isn’t garnering more power or importance in the building.
Will this new-look staff work out? Who knows. But it is something different, and that’s what Pittsburgh needed. They’ve been the 20th-something-ranked scoring offense in four of the last five years. They’ve struggled in the red zone, they’ve failed to produce enough explosive plays, and the results have been sub-par for too long. For a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game in seven years, it’s time to mix things up. The Steelers coaching staff could see another hire or two. Potentially an Assistant QBs Coach to replace Corley, though Baker was a former quarterback who has coached the position and might wear that hat under the label of Offensive Assistant.
The coaches kept are: RBs Coach Eddie Faulkner, OL Coach Pat Meyer, TEs Coach Alfredo Roberts, and Assistant OL Coach Isaac Williams. It’s hard to argue with any of those choices. Faulkner and Roberts are excellent positional coaches who have developed their rooms well while Williams coming or going isn’t going to dramatically change the team’s outlook. Meyer is the most debatable name but based on the Steelers’ improved running game and the organization’s desire not to change o-line coaches again, keeping Meyer is justified.
It’s far more turnover than what Pittsburgh’s had defensively. So far, their only change has been losing Assistant DBs Coach Gerald Alexander, who left to take a job with the Las Vegas Raiders. Pittsburgh figures to fill that spot before the new season. It’s likely to be the only change there, barring something massive like hiring Steve Wilks as an assistant (or perhaps Wilks could be the name who fills both those roles?).
Ultimately, all that will matter are the results. That’s what the NFL judges you by. That will require better execution by the players and, of course, developing whoever is starting at quarterback. But these changes with the Steelers’ coaching staff, in number and the quality of the people they’ve hired, are encouraging signs.
