Steelers Rumors: 4 under-the-radar candidates to replace Matt Canada

4. Brian Griese, Quarterbacks Coach, San Francisco 49ers

Finally, let's circle back to another former NFL quarterback. This time, it's a guy who actually had some decent success in the league. While a lot of current assistants and coordinators are considered "failed" pro quarterbacks, Brian Griese definitely had himself a career. He bucks the trend of the old saying, "if you can't do, teach."

Griese threw for nearly 20,000 yards in the league and finished with 119 touchdown passes. Now, he serves under one of the NFL's brightest offensive minds in San Francisco, as the quarterbacks coach for Kyle Shanahan's 49ers.

If you're impressed by the development and early success of last year's "Mr. Irrelevant," Brock Purdy, you can look toward Griese for some of that credit. Even Purdy himself gives credit to Griese for helping him develop so quickly:

"...having Griese and Klay Kubiak explain the playbook to me, I was like, man, this is so different from college, but I just kept chipping away at it," Purdy told NBC Sports. "From where I'm at now to where I was Day 1, it's crazy, but once you know the system, man, it's awesome playing in it."

Speaking of that system, what if Griese was able to bring a lot of Shanahan's system to Pittsburgh? If he can get Pickett playing at a similar level to Purdy, I'm sure Steelers fans would be thrilled.