It was just thrown out there that Mike Sullivan will be getting a job elsewhere next season. He did a respectable job for the Steelers, but a new offensive coordinator normally means a new, or mostly different staff. The new coordinator will want to bring in his guys unless Mike Tomlin steps in and decides to make them keep certain coaches for now. There are plenty of quality candidates to take over this position.
Sullivan has been ok as a quarterbacks coach in Pittsburgh, but the lack of development of Kenny Pickett will always be his judgment. Pickett has not been able to get better, so maybe a new option can get more out of the young quarterback. Some interesting options are looking for employment that could make sense as the new quarterback's coach of the Steelers. Some might be bigger names than you are expecting.
Pep Hamilton could be an interesting choice to replace Mike Sullivan
One name currently rumored for the offensive coordinator opening is none other than Pep Hamilton. He has a lot of quarterback coaching experience and has helped young quarterbacks take their respective games to the next level before. He also has a lot of offensive coordinator experience in the NFL and would be a worthy candidate to replace Matt Canada.
Many want someone else to become the next coordinator, and for good reason. Hamilton could be someone who could get a look as the next quarterbacks coach in Pittsburgh. The main issue would be whether Hamilton would want that type of job or not. He has been out of work for a couple of years now in the coaching ranks, so maybe he will be willing to take a job like this. Seems like something more suitable for all parties involved.
J.T. Barrett had a short stint with the Steelers and is a rising young coach
Throwing out another idea out there with J.T. Barrett. The famous Ohio State quarterback is now in the coaching ranks of the NFL. He has only been out of playing football for a couple of years and is now with the Detroit Lions. He is still extremely young, but he knows what it is like to play the quarterback position first-hand.
This would surely be a surprise hire, but it is hard to look past what's in the water in Detroit currently. Pittsburgh would be taking a risk by hiring a young coach, but sometimes that is what gets the most out of your team. Right now, Barrett is the assistant quarterbacks coach of the Lions and he would seemingly join the Steelers with a promotion. Both he and Pittsburgh were familiar with one another when he was with them from 2019 to 2020.
David Girardi would take some convincing to return to Pittsburgh
It would be hard to make this hire a reality one would imagine. David Girardi is currently the quarterbacks coach with the Kansas City Chiefs. Normally, that position has a great lane to become an offensive coordinator and potential Head coaching candidate. That is the Patrick Mahomes effect for you. Getting him to leave that job for the same one in Pittsburgh would be a challenge, but not impossible.
Girardi hails from New Kensington, PA which is only about a 20-minute drive outside of Pittsburgh. The allure of returning to the hometown city might be there for Girardi. It would be a tremendous gamble for him to go from coaching Mahomes to someone like Pickett. If he could help fix Pickett's career though, he could be getting a lot of interviews for promotions elsewhere.
Luke Getsy was a bad offensive coordinator, but he has coached quality QBs
Another local guy here Luke Getsy hails from Munhall, PA. Another local guy, but this one makes more sense than Girardi's situation. Getsy was the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator for the past two years and just got fired. The rumors about Justin Fields could always make this coaching hire either light on fire or fall apart.
Fields didn't develop well with Getsy as the coordinator, but maybe they could blend better as his positional coach. No matter if Fields heads to Pittsburgh or not, Getsy has a local connection to the city and has worked closely with some quality quarterbacks in the past as their positional coach. His most notable was Aaron Rodgers. Getsy would be an interesting option with a lot of experience, but the lack of development of Fields should make the Steelers question hiring him.
Brian Johnson could flip sides across Pennsylvania to join the Steelers
One of the more notable moves in the coaching world was when the Eagles fired Brian Johnson. He was only their offensive coordinator for a single season before being shown the door. He has spent a lot of years coaching quarterbacks and even helped Jalen Hurts take his game to the next level over the past couple of years. His lone season as coordinator did not work out.
Even though he failed as a coordinator, that doesn't mean that he cannot help the Steelers better develop Pickett. Hurts seemed to be turning a corner when Johnson was hired as the quarterbacks coach, but he helped Hurts become one of the best at the position. Johnson should be a call that the black and gold make to gauge his interest in staying in the NFL and helping develop Pickett.
Mark Whipple makes sense with the Kenny Pickett connection
Cannot get more comfortable for Kenny Pickett than bringing his former offensive coordinator in college as his positional coach in the pros. Mark Whipple has a lot of experience both in college and in the NFL coaching in a variety of roles. He worked closely with Pickett at the University of Pittsburgh and that could be something the Steelers are looking for.
He has worked with many talented quarterbacks throughout his career and even held the positional title with the Steelers from 2004 through 2006. His mix of NFL and college experience is something that would be attractive to many NFL clubs, especially the Steelers. He would be the oldest person on this list to be hired by a wide margin. If you want someone who knows Pickett well, then look no further than Whipple.
Klay Kubiak is an overshadowed name that could be the next Quarterbacks coach
Many have his brother, Klint Kubiak as a top option to become the Steelers' next offensive coordinator. If that does become a reality, then someone like Klay Kubiak would likely join him in Pittsburgh. Not a ton of information about Kubiak other than he has a historically rich NFL family and is someone who is young and should be a growing coaching option in the NFL for years to come.
He has been the assistant quarterbacks coach with the 49ers for two years now. They have been able to make Brock Purdy, the last pick in his draft a star player for them. There are plenty of quality offensive minds there, so adding someone like Kubiak should be able to carry those learning tools over to Pittsburgh. If Klint Kubiak becomes the next offensive coordinator, expect his brother Klay to be in the fold as the next quarterback's coach.
Ken Dorsey helped develop Josh Allen into the superstar player he is
It has been a little over two months since Ken Dorsey was fired as the offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills. He held that role for a season and a half. That move seemingly paid off for the Bills as they turned their struggles around and won a playoff game before being knocked out of the playoffs in the second round. Dorsey might not have been the answer as a coordinator, but he could be as a positional coach.
He was a successful college quarterback of his own and transferred over to coaching at a young age. He was able to help Josh Allen turn into the superstar that he is today. Not all credit is always deserved to the coach, but you could see Allen's change when Dorsey took over as his quarterbacks coach. Maybe he can continue that magic with Pickett, but it might be worth a shot based on his experience.
Jake Peetz could follow Zac Robinson is hired as offensive coordinator
Reports have flooded in that the Steelers requested to interview Zac Robinson to be their next offensive coordinator. That would be an exciting hire, and one would have to imagine that he would try and bring coaches with him to help fill out his roster. With Mike Sullivan departing the team, the Steelers need someone who would change things up and have a good chunk of experience at coaching quarterbacks.
Jake Peetz is a name that stands out like a sore thumb when you look over the Rams' current coaching staff. If Robinson would get the coordinator position, then you would have to imagine that he would try and bring someone like Peetz over as the quarterbacks coach and potentially another title. He has a ton of experience in college and the NFL ranging from quarterbacks coach to the offensive coordinator spot itself.
Alex Van Pelt has a Pittsburgh connection that could land with the Steelers
Another Pittsburgh connection here with Alex Van Pelt potentially being an option to become the Steeler's next quarterback's coach. He also has a ton of offensive coordinator experience in the league, so he could even be up for consideration as the next coordinator in Pittsburgh. He just got fired by the Browns, but he did a tremendous job juggling all the starting quarterbacks that the Browns had to deal with this year.
Van Pelt was born in Pittsburgh and played at the University that calls it home as their starting quarterback. He had a long NFL career as a backup quarterback and has stacked a long list of experience as a coach. Van Pelt has worked with many quality quarterbacks in the past. One would have to assume that he would hold interest in the hometown job, but that would mean no other coordinator offers showed up at his doorstep.