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REPORT: Steelers in talks with former Giants, Broncos OC/QB coach Mike Sullivan
Allison Koehler
January 26, 2021
When Matt Canada was promoted to offensive coordinator, a topic of interest was whether he’d continue to coach quarterbacks, too. We all know how well that worked out for Randy Fichtner.
It appears that he won’t have a dual role, allowing him to focus on the offense alone. According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac source, the Steelers are in talks with former offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan for the vacant QB coach position.
Sullivan entered the NFL from the college ranks in 2002 as defensive quality control coordinator. He then headed to New York to coach Amani Toomer, former Steeler Plaxico Burress, Victor Cruz and Steve Smith, a role he held from 2004-2009. He was promoted to QB coach and worked with Eli Manning for a season before moving south to Tampa Bay as offensive coordinator in 2012.
When that didn’t work out, Sullivan returned to New York in 2015 — again with the quarterbacks. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2016, a role he held for a season before taking the QB coach position in Denver in 2018. Sullivan has been out of the league for three seasons and is currently director of recruiting at Army.
There’s nothing on Sullivan’s resume that screams he’s the guy. Sure, he has two Super Bowl rings and worked with Eli Manning, who was already a vet. Should the Steelers hire Sullivan, it’s going to be all about developing Mason Rudolph — as perhaps the franchise’s future — and the raw Dwayne Haskins (Josh Dobbs will likely leave Pittsburgh in free agency).
The QB coach duty hasn’t been this important since Ben Roethlisberger was drafted in 2004 — the Steelers must get it right.
Allison Koehler
January 26, 2021
When Matt Canada was promoted to offensive coordinator, a topic of interest was whether he’d continue to coach quarterbacks, too. We all know how well that worked out for Randy Fichtner.
It appears that he won’t have a dual role, allowing him to focus on the offense alone. According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac source, the Steelers are in talks with former offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan for the vacant QB coach position.
Sullivan entered the NFL from the college ranks in 2002 as defensive quality control coordinator. He then headed to New York to coach Amani Toomer, former Steeler Plaxico Burress, Victor Cruz and Steve Smith, a role he held from 2004-2009. He was promoted to QB coach and worked with Eli Manning for a season before moving south to Tampa Bay as offensive coordinator in 2012.
When that didn’t work out, Sullivan returned to New York in 2015 — again with the quarterbacks. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2016, a role he held for a season before taking the QB coach position in Denver in 2018. Sullivan has been out of the league for three seasons and is currently director of recruiting at Army.
There’s nothing on Sullivan’s resume that screams he’s the guy. Sure, he has two Super Bowl rings and worked with Eli Manning, who was already a vet. Should the Steelers hire Sullivan, it’s going to be all about developing Mason Rudolph — as perhaps the franchise’s future — and the raw Dwayne Haskins (Josh Dobbs will likely leave Pittsburgh in free agency).
The QB coach duty hasn’t been this important since Ben Roethlisberger was drafted in 2004 — the Steelers must get it right.
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