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By Will Graves
The Related Press
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t look very far to discover a new offensive coordinator, selling quarterbacks coach Matt Canada to the place on Monday to switch Randy Fichtner.
The Steelers opted to not renew Fichtner’s contract following a first-round playoff loss to Cleveland. Pittsburgh will now flip to Canada — employed a yr in the past to assist develop a relationship with Ben Roethlisberger and mentor younger backups Mason Rudolph and Josh Dobbs — to inject some life into an offense that sputtered down the stretch. The Steelers misplaced 5 of their ultimate six video games following an 11-0 begin and completed final within the NFL in each yards dashing and yards per carry.
Fixing the operating recreation in the course of the offseason is a precedence, nevertheless it’s simply one in every of many Canada will face in his first yr on the job.
Roethlisberger stays below contract for the 2021 season, however has seen acquainted faces depart in current weeks. Fichtner was let go earlier this month and tight finish and good good friend Vance McDonald introduced his retirement final Friday. Vast receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and operating again James Conner are free brokers and the group remains to be looking for an offensive line coach to switch Shaun Sarrett, whose contract was not renewed.
Canada is hardly an unknown amount in Pittsburgh. He served because the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Panthers — who share a coaching facility with the Steelers — in 2016, overseeing a dynamic assault that led to him being a finalist for the Broyles Award because the nation’s high assistant.
LSU was so impressed it provided him the identical title and an enormous pay elevate to come back to Baton Rouge. Canada’s keep within the Bayou lasted only one season. He rapidly moved on to grow to be the offensive coordinator at Maryland and located himself thrust into the position of interim coach in 2018 when D.J. Durkin was suspended and finally fired within the aftermath of the loss of life of offensive lineman Jordan McNair. Canada led the Terrapins to a 5-7 report whereas directing an offense that put up greater than 30 factors seven occasions, together with 51 in an additional time loss to eventual Huge Ten champion Ohio State.
Canada’s promotion offers Pittsburgh some continuity and will play a task in whether or not Roethlisberger — who has a wage cap hit of greater than $41 million for 2021 — returns. The 2 appeared to generate a strong rapport of their one season collectively. Roethlisberger and Canada might be seen working collectively on Wednesdays on fundamentals reminiscent of footwork.
Canada’s promotion was the second emptiness crammed by the Steelers on Monday. Earlier within the day, the membership employed longtime NFL assistant Alfredo Roberts as its new tight ends coach.
Roberts replaces James Daniel, who retired earlier this month after 17 seasons with the Steelers and 27 total within the NFL.
Pittsburgh is the sixth NFL cease for Roberts. He spent the previous 4 seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, serving as operating backs coach from 2017-19 earlier than sliding over to tight ends coach this previous season. Roberts beforehand coached for Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Tampa Bay.
Roberts performed six seasons within the NFL from 1988-93, catching 48 passes for 450 yards and two touchdowns in his profession with Kansas Metropolis and Dallas. He gained a pair Tremendous Bowl with the Cowboys within the 1992 and 1993 seasons earlier than going into teaching.
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