It's Personal: Kenny Pickett Reacts to Matt Canada Firing
PITTSBURGH -- Like many others, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett learned the news of Matt Canada's firing through social media and text messages. With Tuesday being his lone day to sleep in, Pickett woke at about 8:30 in the morning to a flurry of notifications telling him his offensive coordinator had been let go.
"Got the news when everybody else got the news," Pickett said. "You hate to see it. You don’t want to see one of your coaches lose their job. We all gotta be better. Called coach, wished him well, we had a good conversation, gotta bounce back quickly and get ready to go for Cincy."
Pickett is moving forward with some sense of urgency. He acknowledged the team only had about 15 minutes to discuss what happened before having to put it behind them and focus on the Bengals.
Now, he's operating with running back coach Eddie Faulkner operating as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Mike Sullivan calling the plays.
"I've spent a ton of time with Coach Sully since I've been drafted here. With him every day. I'm with him more than I'm with any of my family members, truthfully," Pickett said. "It's nice to have that kind of relationship with a coach."
Pickett said none of the team's terminology will change, and that there won't be "wholesale changes" to the offense moving forward.
Now, it's about finding the spark the offense was lacking. The one the team decided to move on from Canada to try and find. And now, after his offensive coordinator was fired, Pickett is taking it personally to generate momentum for this offense.
"It’s a challenge to everybody," Pickett said. "I think you have to take it personal, it’s a guy you worked with since I got drafted here. You want to play great, you don’t want to see anybody get let go like that."
Make sure you bookmark All Steelers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
Ben Roethlisberger Among Favorites for Steelers Next OC
Steelers Ideal Offensive Coordinator Candidates
Steelers Not Benching Kenny Pickett
