Pittsburgh Steelers fans have been unhappy with how the team’s offense looks in the early part of the season, and head coach Mike Tomlin insists he has no issue with the way they expressed that on Monday night.
Kenny Pickett completed just 15 of his 30 pass attempts for 222 yards, a touchdown and an interception in Pittsburgh’s 26-22 win over the Cleveland Browns. The pick was his third of the season. Pittsburgh also managed just 51 rushing yards and needed two defensive touchdowns to secure the win.
Late in the fourth quarter, fans at Acrisure Stadium showed their displeasure with offensive coordinator Matt Canada. They broke into a “fire Canada!” chant.
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Tomlin was asked on Tuesday about those chants. He wisely did not criticize the fan base in any way.
Mike Tomlin when asked about the fans expressing their displeasure with Matt Canada. Excellent answer. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/yDYmm57zKk
— David Todd (@DavidMTodd) September 19, 2023
“I appreciate their passion. I share their passion. We all do. Man, we love our fans, man. They inspire us. They challenge us,” Tomlin said. “It’s an awesome relationship. We don’t run from challenges. We run to challenges. This is the sport entertainment business. It is our job to win and, thus, entertain them. We don’t begrudge them for that. We want them to be fat and sassy and spoiled. It is our job.”
It may not be long before Canada finds himself on the hot seat, if he is not already there. Even Tomlin hinted that he was unhappy with Canada early last season, though the Steelers still chose to bring the OC back. One star player may have also thrown shade at Canada after Pittsburgh’s Week 1 loss.
The Steelers are one of the most successful franchises in sports, which is why their fans have high standards. Tomlin has been around in Pittsburgh long enough to know what happens when those expectations are not met.
