Despite a strong 7-2 finish to the Steelers' 2022 season, there was a lot of outside speculation that Matt Canada might lose his job based on the totality of an offense that ranked 26th in the NFL.
In his post-season meeting with select reporters on Thursday, Art Rooney II provided some clarity on the decision to keep Canada as the team's offensive coordinator. Primarily, it begins with the relationship between Canada and Kenny Pickett.
"With a rookie quarterback, they seem to work well together. They built a good working relationship," Rooney said. "To start over again with a new offensive coordinator, we could wind up back in the same situation again where, you know, the first half of the season, you're breaking into a new coordinator. We just felt like there's enough to build on that we want to continue and keep that group together."
The first half of the season was one of the main reasons fans wanted Canada on the chopping block. The Steelers were 2-6 and ranked near the very bottom of the league in virtually every major offensive category. There was merit to the idea that the Steelers needed a change at offensive coordinator.
Then, the team came out of the bye week completely rejuvenated. A substantial improvement in the running game that produced more than 50 yards more per game and extra attention to protecting the football helped the Steelers win seven of their final games games to turn a 2-6 season into competing for a playoff spot in Week 18.
The vast improvement on the ground, spearheaded by a healthy Najee Harris, undrafted rookie Jaylen Warren and an offensive line that found its footing was one of the more encouraging developments Rooney took away from his review of the 2022 season.
"The time of possession in the second half of the season, we really started to dominate teams," Rooney said. "Third down conversions, obviously those two go hand in hand. Big, big improvement there. We were out-rushing teams. Obviously, all of those things are related and I think can be part of a formula for success."
But, of course, the Steelers need a quarterback in order to compete. Fortunately for them, Pickett showed quite a bit down the stretch that gives everyone on the South Side some solace that they have a capable starter on their hands. Pickett's remarkable stretch of only one interception over his 224 pass attempts in the final nine games of the season certainly stands out as evidence. But, coming through with game-winning drives against the Raiders and Ravens also showed that Pickett might have what it takes to be a winner at this level.
"I think that means a lot," Rooney said. "Being able to function like that in pressure situations, the game's on the line, and the season's on the line really in those situations for us in those games. It's good to see."
Ultimately, when Rooney evaluates a season, the biggest takeaway for him is that the team improved over the course of the season. That not only includes how he judges the players, but how he also judges Mike Tomlin as a head coach. As Tomlin did, Rooney judged the season in its totality, not only on nine of 17 games.
"I don't discount completely the first half of the season. You can't ignore it," Rooney said. "But I think, again, the key is to see that improvement over the course of the whole season."
That was the "encouraging" sign that this team is heading in the right direction. Obviously, the Steelers have a lot of address on the defensive side of the ball with a number of key players heading for free agency. All of the core pieces on offense -- Pickett, Harris, Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth -- are still on rookie contracts.
"I think we have a lot of good young players on offense who hopefully will take another step next year," Rooney said. "That's what we'll be looking for."
While Rooney was encouraged by the way the second half of the season played out, that improvement is very critical in 2023. Just as the expectations to win were placed on Canada and the younger players in 2022, the same expectation will remain next season. And, now Rooney has said on the record that these players will be expected to take a step forward. There are tangible improvements that must be made for the offense as a whole.
So while Canada will be retained for the third and final year of his contract, there is absolutely pressure to improve. Rooney wasn't shy about that when asked what his attention will be on in 2023.
"Score more points," Rooney said. "We talked about the areas of improvement, and I think there are some good ones. But, we didn't score enough points is the bottom line. In particular, not great red zone efficiency. Those are a couple of things that I would identify that we clearly have to get better at."
MORE FROM THE SOUTH SIDE
• In terms of the structure of the coaching staff, Rooney said Tomlin is still evaluating the performance of the staff in 2022. With the impact that Brian Flores had on the defense as a senior assistant on the staff, Rooney was asked if the team is entertaining the idea of adding a similar role to the offensive side of the ball.
"I wouldn't take anything off the table," Rooney said. "We're at that time of year where Mike's evaluating coaches. We have coaches that are interviewing other places. So, the coaching staff, there could still be changes to it. But, I don't really want to speculate on where we might go."
• While some might speculate that the Steelers won't add any unique position to the staff or that they just refuse to do things different from the way they've handled business in the past, Rooney cited some recent moves that suggest a somewhat different way of doing things. One came as recently as this past season when they traded Chase Claypool to the Bears for a second-round pick at the Week 8 trade deadline.
"We traded for Minkah [Fitzpatrick] a couple of years ago, which we, you know, didn't do that very often," Rooney said. "We traded Chase this year. So, I don't know. Is there a trend here? We just try to do things that improve our roster whenever we can. I wouldn't want to predict too much that we'll do this, that or the other thing in the future. We're just going to try to do what we can to make the best team we can put on the field."
• While Rooney is certainly happy with the way Pickett progressed over the course of the season, he confirmed what everyone suspected during training camp and the preseason that Mitch Trubisky was always going to be the starter at the beginning of the season. Even in hindsight, the Steelers seem to like the way the quarterback situation played out.
"It's no easy answer in terms of what's the best way to break in a rookie quarterback," Rooney said. "I think that normally you don't go into the season saying, 'Okay, we're going to start the rookie.' That's not what I had in mind, and I don't think that's what Mike expected. The way it turned out, it turned out pretty good, I think, given the fact that we probably didn't expect to have Kenny as our starter Week 1."
• In terms of making the team better through the draft and free agency, Rooney wasn't ready to discuss any positions the Steelers will be addressing.
"Not yet," Rooney said. "You're always at a point where, look, we can't pass up a good player. If he's there at our spot in the draft, you have to be realistic about it. We're still in that evaluation phase of the offseason and really deciding what we need and what's available. So, more work to be done on that front."
It's not surprising for a team owner to keep something like this close to the chest, especially this early in the offseason.
• Regarding free agency, Rooney couldn't provide much insight to how active the team will be. The Steelers were quite active last offseason, and there are several holes that need to be addressed. However, as we sit here in late January, it's hard to say how much the team will rely on the free agent market to address those needs this time around.
"We've got to look at what opportunities there are for us," Rooney said. "We don't even know the cap number as we sit here today, so it's a little hard to plan on that. But, we'll do the best we can to try to plug holes where we think we have them."
• This is Omar Khan's first offseason as the general manager of the Steelers, along with Andy Weidl as assistant general manager. Rooney certainly has expectations for how Khan and his group handle free agency and the draft, and he said he's already seen some change in how both men are preparing for both parts of the offseason. And, Rooney even went as far to say he likes what Khan is doing so far.
Unfortunately, Rooney didn't go into any specifics regarding those changes. Those might have to wait until Khan addresses reporters before the Combine.
"I'll let Omar talk about that when it's his turn," Rooney said with a chuckle. "I don't want to steal his thunder."
• Rooney was even more tight-lipped on any potential for a contract extension for Tomlin.
"I don't like to speculate on a coach's contract," Rooney said. "So, we'll see."
• Because of the NFL's handling of the Damar Hamlin tragedy, there was potential for a neutral site for the AFC Championship. In turn, the possibility of having conference championships played at neutral sites in the future has made its rounds in the NFL world.
Needless to say, Rooney isn't fond of the idea.
"No, I hate the idea. I wouldn't like that at all," Rooney said. "And, my sense is that if you put that up for a vote, it wouldn't pass today. But, who knows?"
