Report: Former Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich reached out to Steelers

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich has reached out to the Pittsburgh Steelers about joining their coaching staff, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic.

Unfortunately for Leftwich, his plea was to no avail. Pittsburgh is “pretty much ignoring him,” a sign they have no interest in bringing him in to fix the league’s 30th ranked offense.

.@MarkKaboly said Byron Leftwich just may have reached out to the #Steelers first. The Steelers did not have a response@_adamcrowley @scorindorin https://t.co/LseadHSnRo pic.twitter.com/kQdwuv0Z0c

— The Fan Morning Show (@FanMorningShow) October 9, 2023

Leftwich played quarterback for the Steelers under head coach Mike Tomlin across two stints (2008, 2010-12). The 43-year-old spent the previous four seasons as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator, winning a Super Bowl in 2020. With Tom Brady under center that season and in 2021, the Buccaneers owned one of the league’s best offenses.

In 2022, however, the Buccaneers struggled immensely on offense. Tampa Bay averaged just 18.4 points per game and had the NFL’s worst rushing attack, averaging 76.9 yards per game. After winning the NFC South and falling to the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card, Leftwich was fired. Leftwich received little to no interest during the last coaching cycle.

Steelers offense struggling under Matt Canada

The Steelers have their own offensive issues, with offensive coordinator Matt Canada coming under fire on seemingly a weekly basis. Despite picking up a 17-10 Week 5 victory over the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, fans at Acrisure Stadium still chanted in unison, “Fire Canada.” At the time of the chant, the Steelers were down 10-3, and with the third quarter winding down, had just 124 yards of offense and eight first downs. Pittsburgh hadn’t reached the end zone since the third quarter of the 23-18 Week 3 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Canada and the offense figured it out in crunch time. Quarterback Kenny Pickett hit receiver George Pickens for a 41-yard game-winning score with 1:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.

“They went [cover] 0 and we were kind of preparing for it all week,” Pickett said after the game. “In bigger moments, they’ll go 0, and we got the protection right. George ran his route and went up there and won. Big-time player, making plays in those moments, and that’s what we’ve got in [No.] 14.”