Rookies Showing Nothing but Respect for Steelers New Coaches
PITTSBURGH -- Matt Canada and Ike Hillard enter Pittsburgh in a unique situation. Stepping into their first season as the Steelers new quarterback and wide receiver coaches, neither have had the opportunity to meet their players in person.
As players remain home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and NFL facilities stay closed, Canada and Hillard are introducing their work to the players through a laptop.
This. will certainly have some impact on the players during the initial stages of the virtual offseason.
For Mike Tomlin and the rest of the staff, though, they're already aware of who their new colleagues are. And so far, they haven't run into issues with the adjustment to the coaching staff.
"Those guys were part of our staff even prior to the shelter-in-place, so we had a lot of opportunities to work with those guys in an office like space," Tomlin said in a conference call last week. "I have known both men for a number of years. I lot of guys on our staff have. So, there is a lot of things to call upon. Much like the instruction and the introduction of the players, we have been able to utilize a lot of the platforms to aid in them getting settled into their responsibilities."
Through the NFL Draft and rookie mini camp, the Steelers haven't found any significant roadblocks when welcoming their newest coaches to players.
"We are excited about having both men. So far, so good," Tomlin said. "But, like all of us right now, we haven’t faced any real challenges or any real adversity that comes with playing and coaching football."
While Tomlin's opinion is as important as they come, the thoughts of Canada and Hillard's new players are what can make-or-break this team.
Although the relationships are new, and slowly building due to virtual communication, the newest members of the Steelers are enjoying their new coaches.
"He seems like he really knows what he is talking about," Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool said on Hillard. "He has been in the game for a long time. Been around the game for a long time. He is been able to teach me things and make it easy to learn rather than saying things verbatim based off what he hears. He kind of says it in his own words."
Hillard comes to Pittsburgh with a clean slate. With minimum player-coach relationships already on the roster, the wide receiver coach is introducing himself as much as Claypool is.
Canada, on the other hand, comes in with two of his college players.
Coaching Anthony McFarland and Antoine Brooks Jr. at the University of Maryland, Canada has at least one player praising his name once the locker room opens back up.
"Matt Canada is one hell of a coach. One of my favorite coaches I ever had," Steelers fourth-round pick Anthony McFarland said. "Left a big impact on me when he left Maryland. He showed how he cared, not just on the field, but how he cared for us."
McFarland played under Canada's offense when he was the offensive coordinator for the University of Maryland in 2018. In that season, McFarland's first active college year, the running back rushed for 1,034 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 7.9 yards per carry.
"Just talking about me specifically off the field, just always checking up on me, making sure I am doing the right things," McFarland said. "On the field, coaching me up. I like that. When a coach coaches you hard, which Matt Canada does, it means that he wants to get you better. It is about the way he coaches. He just wants you to get better. He is a hell of a coach."
Once the NFL reopens team facilities, and players can return to normalcy, McFarland says the rest of the team is going to enjoy working under Canada.
"Guys in the room are going to gravitate towards him, his attitude towards the game," said McFarland. "The way he speaks is positive. That’s what I love about Matt Canada. Super excited to be around him and pick his brain because he knows a lot."
The Steelers' new quarterback and wide receiver coaches are pushing through an unusual time in a new program. So far, the players seem to feel they're doing just fine.
