Steelers Rumors: 5 possible replacements for Matt Canada

It is, indeed, a good morning for Pittsburgh Steelers fans. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada has been fired.

It is a statement which Steelers fans thought they might never see, but alas, it has come to fruition. In a season that's seen Pittsburgh score 10 or less points in four games thus far, they'll finally be moving on from a guy who clearly doesn't belong in the NFL.

For the remainder of the season, it looks like Pittsburgh will have a couple of coaches filling in and handling the offensive coordinator and play-calling duties.

When the 2024 offseason comes around, though, the Steelers might want to go a different direction. If not Eddie Faulkner or Mike Sullivan, let's take a look at some possible replacements for Canada next year.

1. Ken Dorsey

First up, an obvious hire would be to snag recently-fired Ken Dorsey, the former offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills.

For those watching the Bills this year, Dorsey shouldn't have taken all of the blame. He was merely a scapegoat for head coach Sean McDermott. The Buffalo defense had plenty of woes themselves, and Dorsey can only do so much when Josh Allen turns the ball over at such a high rate.

Even through their inconsistencies, Dorsey led the Bills to being a top-10 offense this year, as well as finishing no. 2 last season. He is one who won't be out of a job long, and since he is available right now, the Steelers could pounce before he is picked up during the offseason.

2. Scott Tolzien, Quarterbacks Coach, Dallas Cowboys

You probably haven't seen this name thrown out there for offensive coordinator consideration just yet, but Scott Tolzien should definitely be getting some attention in the near future. For the past three years, he's served as the Cowboys' quarterbacks coach.

You can credit Tolzien for those games Dallas has survived over the last couple of seasons without Dak Prescott. Dallas was still finding ways to win games, at times, without Dak, and Tolzien should get some of the credit there. A guy like Cooper Rush should have no business winning football games, but Dallas somehow managed to do so with him under center.

Tolzien, a former NFL quarterback, didn't exactly pan out as a pro. His career spanned between 2011 and 2017, although mostly as a backup or practice squad player. Still, many of these types of quarterbacks have gone on to become good coaches. It's almost as if their inability as a player has made them better from a coaching standpoint. The knowledge is there.

If Pittsburgh wants to hire someone from a top-5 offense, Tolzien should get some consideration.

3. Brian Angelichio, Passing Game Coordinator, Minnesota Vikings

When the Vikings hired Kevin O'Connell to be their new head coach, fans were excited about the possibilities on offense. Maybe O'Connell was finally the guy to get this offense rolling as it should be. Well, fast forward to present day and the Vikings are still a top-3 passing offense in the league, despite Kirk Cousins going down for the season a few weeks ago.

Under O'Connell, Brian Angelichio has served as the team's passing game coordinator for the past two seasons. He also coaches the tight ends. In 2022, Minnesota was the third-best passing attack in football, just as they are currently. Angelichio and O'Connell are a big reason for that.

Unlike Canada, Angelichio has a good amount of NFL experience, dating back to 2012. Having served under O'Connell for the past two seasons, he's also learned even more about today's NFL and the direction it's headed. O'Connell has understood how offenses are evolving and the fact that it's become such a pass-heavy league. He's catered his offense around that idea, and that's why Cousins was one of the league's leading passers prior to his injury.

4. Josh McCown, Quarterbacks Coach, Carolina Panthers

One name that's coming from a team without a top offense, yet deserves a look, is former NFL quarterback Josh McCown. After spending almost 20 years in the league, and with several different teams, McCown quickly found his start in coaching.

Even during his last years playing in the NFL, there were whispers of him transitioning to the coaching game. Everyone knew that he was built for coaching, and now he's gotten a chance to work with no. 1 pick Bryce Young this season. That's a big responsbility to be handed, and although Young still has his share of improvements needed, you can trust McCown has been doing a great job.

If you want a true player's coach who understands how this game has evolved recently, then McCown is your guy. He really gets it. He knows where this game has come from over the past two decades and where it's going right now. He's also one of the smartest guys in the league. McCown is well-respected and was always a leader in his locker rooms. He may not have been a Pro Bowl quarterback, but his knowledge and understanding are what will make him a great coach in this league for a long time.

5. Alex Tanney, Quarterbacks Coach, Philadelphia Eagles

Finally, we come to our third quarterbacks coach on the lists, Alex Tanney of the Philadelphia Eagles. Over the years, you would be doing yourself a service if you hired a coach from the Eagles organization. Much of that credit goes to the work Andy Reid put in for years, followed by guys like Doug Pederson and now Nick Sirianni and his staff.

The Eagles are a top-5 offense this year, just as they were last year. Between their personnel and coaching staff, they've been at the top for a couple of years now, and a lot of it has to do with the development of Jalen Hurts. The organization has done a fantastic job surrounding Hurts with talent, but the staff has also helped him transform into one of the league's best quarterbacks. Tanney has been in Philly since 2021, which is the year that things really started to look up for Hurts.

Speaking of which, Tanney is also another former quarterback, so he's able to understand the game like the other former passers on this list. More and more, it seems like former NFL quarterbacks are going to serve as great coaches for years to come. Just taking a look at McCown, for example, you can see where this league might be headed.

Tanney's next step is to become an offensive coordinator, and he's definitely in the right organization to make that jump. If the Steelers want to get into this era of offensive football, Tanney is a solid hire.