Former NFL Head Coach ‘Long Shot’ Candidate for Steelers’ OC Opening

Getty The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo named former NFL head coach Jim Caldwell as a candidate to be Mike Tomlin's next offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A new era for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense will begin in Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Steelers quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan will call offensive plays, replacing fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Steelers running backs coach Eddie Faulkner will hold the offensive coordinator title for the remainder of the season.

With the loyalty the Steelers show their coaches, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team named Faulkner or Sullivan its full-time offensive coordinator next season (of course, assuming the offense shows improvement in the final seven games). But that won’t stop the rumor mill from suggesting possible outside candidates for the Steelers’ coaching staff opening.

On November 22, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo named five candidates for the Steelers offensive coordinator role. The list began with Bryon Leftwich, who has been a popular choice in the media to replace Canada for nearly a year.

But the list ended with a much-less consensus candidate — former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell.

Although labeled a “long shot” choice, Fittipaldo argued Caldwell is an offensive coordinator candidate for the Steelers because of his record of developing quarterbacks and strong relationship with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

“This is a long shot because Caldwell will turn 69 in January, but he interviewed for the vacant offensive coordinator’s position with the Steelers in 2012,” Fittipaldo wrote. “The Steelers ultimately hired Todd Haley, but Mike Tomlin and Caldwell are longtime friends.”

Caldwell was head coach of the Colts from 2009-11 and then for the Lions from 2014-17. He posted a 62-50 record in seven seasons.

This season, Caldwell is a senior assistant for the Carolina Panthers.

Jim Caldwell’s Record of Developing NFL QBs

If the 2023 season has proven anything with the Steelers, it’s that Tomlin will have his team competitive regardless of how ugly the statistics may be.

But to be true Super Bowl contenders again, the Steelers must develop a franchise quarterback. Obviously, the Steelers would prefer that signal caller to be Kenny Pickett.

That makes Pittsburgh’s choice for its offensive coordinator role crucial. Tomlin must choose a coordinator who will work with Pickett and develop him into a star.

Caldwell will turn 69 in January, but due to his age, he’s experienced with working and developing lots of different quarterbacks.

“Caldwell has worked with some of the NFL’s top quarterbacks this century. Before he was named Colts head coach, he held the position of associate head coach and quarterbacks coach and tutored Peyton Manning,” Fittipaldo wrote. “He was Baltimore’s quarterbacks coach in 2012 when Joe Flacco led the Ravens to the Super Bowl, and he coached Matthew Stafford in Detroit.”

Caldwell took over as the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator during the 2012 season when the team fired Cam Cameron. After the change, the team went 5-2 including the postseason on the way to winning the Super Bowl.

As head coach of the Colts, he led Indianapolis to a 14-2 record and a Super Bowl appearance during the 2009 season.

Caldwell also posted a 36-28 record with the Lions. He’s the only Detroit head coach with an overall winning record since 1972 (minimum 8 games).

Steelers History of Promoting Offensive Coordinators, Hiring Former Head Coaches

The past two occasions the Steelers made a change at offensive coordinator, Tomlin promoted from within the organization.

Canada was previously the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2020. Before Canada, Randy Fichtner was offensive coordinator from 2018-19. He had been an offensive positions coach on Pittsburgh’s staff since 2007.

But with those hirings going badly, unless the Steelers offense improves drastically in seven weeks under Faulkner and Sullivan, Tomlin will likely face pressure to make his next coordinator choice an outside hire.

The last time the Steelers hired a coach outside the organization for offensive coordinator was Todd Haley in 2012.

Haley is one of several former NFL head coaches Tomlin has hired during his 17-year stint with the Steelers. Some of his best coaching hires have been former head coaches in assistant roles such as Mike Munchak as offensive line coach and Brian Flores as linebackers coach.

If Tomlin doesn’t hire Caldwell as offensive coordinator, Fittipaldo suggested there still could be a role for him with the Steelers.

“Adding Caldwell, even if it’s as a senior assistant or consultant, would be a step in the right direction after the questionable hires of Fichtner and Canada.”