Now that the Steelers have moved on from Randy Fichtner as their offensive coordinator, who might they be interested in replacing him with?
Given the relative youth of the team's offensive staff following Thursday's firings of both Fichtner and offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett and the retirement of tight ends coach James Daniel, the Steelers will likely lean toward bringing in someone with previous NFL experience as a play caller.
That means that while quarterbacks coach Matt Canada will certainly get an interview, he is unlikely to get the job with just one season of NFL experience and none as a play caller at the NFL level. He also would represent more of sticking with the status quo.
To that point, Canada is reportedly trying to go to the Dolphins as their offensive coordinator.
Dolphins are believed to be taking a hard look at Steelers QBs coach Matt Canada for OC. Canada consulted with Miami last year, acquitted himself well in Pittsburgh.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 14, 2021
Canada doesn't do that unless he feels he won't get an opportunity to become the Steelers offensive coordinator.
Which brings us to a few people to keep an eye on. And they're all former NFL head coaches who have a history with Tomlin.
The first is former Washington head coach Jay Gruden.
Gruden, 53, was an offensive assistant under his brother, Jon, in Tampa Bay when Tomlin was on the staff from 2002 through 2006. And he rose to become offensive coordinator with the Bengals from 2011 through 2013, when the Bengals ranked 13th, 11th and 4th in total yards and 13th, 10th and 4th in points scored.
He was head coach of Washington from 2014 through 2019, leading that dysfunctional franchise to a 35-49-1 record, including winning records in 2015 and 2016.
Last season, he worked as offensive coordinator with the Jaguars, who fired head coach Doug Marrone at the end of the season. The Jaguars are heavily interested in hiring Urban Meyer as their replacement, and he is likely to want to bring his own offensive coordinator, meaning Gruden could soon be available.
The second candidate with ties to Tomlin is former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell.
Caldwell served as quarterbacks coach in Tampa in Tomlin's first season, then went with Tony Dungy to Indianapolis after Dungy was fired. He served as assistant head coach/quarterbacks in Indianapolis from 2002 through 2008, becoming head coach from 2009 through 2011.
In 2012 and 2013, he was quarterbacks coach with the Ravens, serving as the interim offensive coordinator in 2013, as well, after Cam Cameron was replaced at midseason.
Caldwell again became a head coach in 2014 with the Lions, leading them to a 36-28 record with a .568 winning percentage that was the highest with that franchise since Buddy Parker in the 1950s.
Caldwell is 62-50 overall in his career as a head coach, but at 65 obviously wouldn't be in it for the long haul.
Darrell Bevell, 51, also would be a name to keep an eye on. Bevell, who was the offensive coordinator with the Lions this season before being named interim head coach for the final six games of 2020, has been an offensive coordinator with the Vikings and Lions since 2006.
His offenses have finished in the top 10 in scoring in the league seven times.
The Steelers also could look at some other recently fired head coaches such as Doug Pederson or Adam Gase, but that's unlikely given both might be more content to take a year off from coaching while being paid by their former teams.
If Tomlin wants to go with a younger, up-and-comer who is less of a proven commodity, he could look at Titans quarterbacks coach Pat O'Hara, Bills quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey or Chiefs quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Mike Kafka.