Kenny Pickett reacts to Steelers firing OC Matt Canada: 'Have to take it personal'

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) quarterback Kenny Pickett didn’t expect the team to part ways with offensive coordinator Matt Canada Tuesday.

Pickett, like many of his teammates, found out as his phone buzzed non-stop in the morning and eventually when head coach Mike Tomlin made the announcement. Though Canada ultimately became the fall guy for the Steelers’ underperforming offense, Pickett said that everyone needs to be better.

“I wasn’t aware of any moves that were going to be made,” Pickett said Wednesday, via ESPN. “… You hate to see it. You don’t want to see one of your coaches lose their job. We all got to be better. Called coach [Canada], wished him well. We had a great conversation, but you got to bounce back quick and get ready to go.”

The Steelers, despite sitting in a playoff spot in the AFC, have been outgained in each game this season. The offense is 28th in yards per game (280.1) and scoring (16.6). Canada’s firing felt like a long time coming, especially after the offense mustered up just 249 total yards in the 13-10 Week 11 loss to the Cleveland Browns (7-3) this past Sunday.

Kenny Pickett hoping for better results down the stretch

Pickett said that Canada’s dismissal feels like a challenge for the offense to step up in the final seven games of the season.

“It’s a challenge to everybody,” Pickett said. “I feel like you have to take it personal. It’s a guy you’ve worked with since I got drafted here, you want to play great, you don’t want to see anyone get let go like that. So absolutely we have to answer the bell, find out what we need to do to play better and then just go take care of business.”

With Canada out, running backs coach Eddie Faulkner will serve as the interim offensive coordinator. Quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan will call plays. Pickett will hope to have success under the new regime, something he seldom had with Canada at the helm. In 10 games this season, the 2022 first-round pick out of Pitt has thrown for just 1,722 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions on 60.5% passing. His 35.7 QBR is 28th among quarterbacks.

“I’m a perfectionist,” Pickett said. “I’ve always been that way. Always hardest on myself and how I need to play and the standard I hold myself to. But there’s a balance to that. I want to go out there and have fun, play, do what I’ve done my whole life. So that’s what want to get back to and enjoy the people that I’m doing it with and got great friends on this team. So I just want to get back to playing football.”