Those of you who know me are aware of the sheer disdain I have for incompetence, especially when it pertains to a job for which someone was hired. There are few things more frustrating in life than people not being capable of performing tasks for which they are getting compensated (at least after they are established—I am not a monster. I know that it takes time for people to learn). At some point, a workplace may actually benefit from cutting ties with someone that has no ability to perform their job in a knowledgeable and effective manner. 

This is not a concept that is specific to retail or restaurants. I know that most of you are probably sick of hearing me rant and use obscenities when Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada exerts his idiocy over the team, but frankly, I am too kind in what I say about him. The game yesterday against a Houston team—fresh off a season during which they had the second worst record in the NFL—may be the straw that broke the camel’s back (assuming that did not already happen 10 times).

I am under no illusion that the game yesterday was solely Canada’s fault. The defense could not stop a nosebleed. CJ Stroud played an excellent game for a rookie making his fourth career start. We generated no pressure on him despite the Texans having six—yes, six—offensive linemen out. The entire defense showed a complete inability to tackle. Pickett still is demonstrating growing pains (at least, that is what I hope he is showing) in reading a defense and in his throws themselves. The offensive line could not withstand a pass rush from the Texans.

With all that being said, I cannot adequately express how angry and frustrated I am with Matt Canada. Even if we forget 99% of the play calls he has given Kenny this season (which I will only do for the purposes of this article), his decisions got his franchise quarterback hurt. Let us examine the scenario under which Pickett got injured. You are running the ball effectively (Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for 100 yards on 22 carries, which is good by the Steelers’ standards). The pass blocking was horrible (Pickett was sacked three times and pressured on many occasions). It was 4th and 1. All of those put together should scream running the ball with Pickett under center, either on a halfback dive or a QB sneak. Matt Canada decided to have Pickett in the shotgun formation and run a play-action pass. 

Why? You cannot stop the Texans’ pass rush! You are running the ball effectively! Play-action allows time for the defensive linemen to get free! Did Canada think he would fool Texans head coach and former linebacker DeMeco Ryans? Regardless of what he thought, the result of the play was a disaster of epic proportions. Pickett got sacked (which was to be expected considering the poor offensive line play) and his leg got twisted beneath him, causing torsion of his knee. The franchise QB needed help getting off the field and was immediately ruled out for the rest of the game.

At the time of writing, no diagnosis for the injury has yet been released, but I fear the worst—13 games of Mitch Trubisky. Once again, this is not to say that Matt Canada is the sole reason that the Steelers failed to win at NRG stadium—that would be unfair as well as inaccurate, as the defense deserves some heat as well—but Canada is the reason that Pickett got hurt. As if lamenting Canada’s play calling in the absence of injuries was not sufficiently bad, he took it upon himself to perform even worse and injure his quarterback.

Since Matt Canada was promoted from quarterback coach to offensive coordinator in 2021, the offense’s rankings are as follows:

•2021: 21st in points, 23rd in yards

•2022: 26th in points, 23rd in yards

•2023 (so far): 25th in points, 29th in yards

In what universe should someone keep their job when their performance declines each year? In what universe is it okay for someone’s sheer incompetence to directly result in harm to someone else? These are questions that the Steelers’ front office needs to ponder. I know that they generally do not fire coaches—especially not in the middle of the season—but there should be an exception to that rule. Matt Canada is a disgrace to the sport of football.