If Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin were placing a help wanted ad for a new offensive coordinator, he’d likely include the following phrase:
“Those without previous experience need not apply.”
Tomlin said Thursday at his end-of-season news conference that he wants his next offensive coordinator to have NFL coordinating experience on his resume, something neither Matt Canada nor Randy Fichtner had when they were promoted to the position.
Interim coordinator Eddie Faulkner and quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan, who has prior coordinating experience and called plays for the final seven games, are not under consideration “at this juncture.”
“I’m looking at outside candidates and lining up the pecking order there,” Tomlin said. “I’m appreciative of (Faulkner’s and Sullivan’s) efforts in terms of what they did for us down the stretch.”
The Steelers haven’t gone outside the organization to find their offensive coordinator since Todd Haley was hired in February 2012. He represented the only outside hire at offensive coordinator since Kevin Gilbride joined the organization in 1999. Mike Mularkey, Ken Whisenhunt and Bruce Arians also were promoted from within the organization.
“I’m excited about this process and the talent pool out there,” Tomlin said. “I’m open to learning through this process and see what people have to say about their visions. I have a vision of what it looks like, but I’m open to learning throughout this process.”
Although Tomlin typically has final say on his coaching hires, he said he will be assisted in the search by team president Art Rooney II and general manager Omar Khan.
Canada was fired in November midway through his third season. The Steelers finished the year with Faulkner, the team’s running backs coach, serving as interim coordinator, as well as Sullivan, the quarterbacks coach, calling the plays on game day.
In 10 games before Canada’s dismissal, the Steelers averaged 16.6 points per game. They averaged 19.7 in the remaining seven, the total buoyed by the Steelers scoring 34 and 30, respectively, in Mason Rudolph’s first two starts at quarterback.
“I want us to be versatile and dynamic,” Tomlin said. “We want to score more points. I want to be able to keep defenses off balance, and I want to utilize all the talents we have at our disposal.”
Tomlin said the new hire will be made with Kenny Pickett’s development in mind. Pickett didn’t play after suffering an ankle injury in early December. He was healthy to return by the end of the season, but Tomlin elected to stick with Rudolph, who led the Steelers to three consecutive wins.
Tomlin said Pickett will enter the offseason as the starter but will have to compete to keep his job.
“This game is quarterback driven. Offenses are quarterback driven,” Tomlin said. “So their expertise in that area is a significant component of the search, from my perspective.”
Changes also could come to the defensive staff. Although the Steelers finished sixth in the NFL by giving up up 19.1 points per game, they were No. 21 in yards by allowing 342 per game.
“Things never stay the same,” Tomlin said.
