Steelers QB coach in interim play-caller could be poached by the Raiders
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially began their hunt for a new offensive coordinator. After Mike Tomlin confirmed that the team would search for an option outside of the organization, we rececntly learned that Pittsburgh had meetings scheduled with Zac Robinson and Kliff Kingsbury. Now the Steelers might need a new quarterbacks coach to go along with whoever their new OC hire ends up being.
On Wednesday morning, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that Mike Sullivan will interview with the Las Vegas Raiders for their vacant offensive coordinator job. Sullivan was promoted as the Steelers' quarterback coach in 2021 when former QB coach, Matt Canada received a promotion to become the offensive coordinator.
The #Raiders will interview #Steelers QB coach Mike Sullivan for their offensive coordinator job, sources say. Sullivan, who called plays this season after Matt Canada was fired, was an assistant on Tom Coughlin’s #Giants staff while Antonio Pierce captained the defense.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 24, 2024
Sullivan also acted as Pittsburgh's offensive play-caller late in the 2023 season when Canada was fired -- working alongside interim and running backs coach, Eddie Faulkner. Prior to joining the Steelers' staff Sullivan had roughly two decades of NFL coaching experience beginning as a defensive assistant with the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2002.
Sullivan also has four years of experience as an NFL offensive coordinator -- two the Buccaneers (2012-2013) and two with the Giants (2016-2017), per Pro Football Reference. It may have been the collection of past experience and the uptick in Pittsburgh's offense in the final stretch of a season that caused the Raiders to draw interest.
Steelers could be looking for a new QB coach to pair with their new OC
If Sullivan signs with Las Vegas to become their new offensive coordinator, the Pittsburgh Steelers could be in the market for a new quarterback coach. This is a position that Mike Tomlin typically promotes from within. Prior to Sullivan and Canada, it was Randy Fichtner who was the QB coach and Pittsburgh.
Tomlin could look to do the same this year by promoting an assistant coach, but based on how determined he was to find help outside of the organization when it came to the vacant OC position, an external QB coach hire certainly seems possible this time around.
Either way, it's safe to say that we will be able to expect some significant changes when it comes to the offensive playbook in 2024. Let's hope the new acquisitions prove to make a great impact next season.
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