Steelers' Ramon Foster Has A Surprising Thought About The Offensive Coordinator Position In Pittsburgh

The offense has still had its share of struggles. They dropped three games in a row that they should have won before Rudolph started. Even though they struggled and lost some games, we still saw them trying to move the ball more. We saw fewer jet sweeps, less backward running, and more use of the middle of the field. With Canada, all we heard was how predictable the offense was, how the play-calling was junior varsity, and we watched time and time again as the offense struggled to move the ball consistently. Most of those early wins came mostly thanks to the defense. They either scored points for the offense, or at least kept the team in the game. 

By all accounts, the players have bought into what Sullivan and Faulkner are doing. Maybe Rudolph was the missing piece to get things firing on all cylinders, but they are and the team is pumped. When speaking to the media, you can see how much they believe in Rudolph and believe they deserve to be in the postseason. But what will all of that mean for Faulkner and Sullivan when the season ends (possibly with a Lombardi Trophy)? Will they go back to their old duties while a new coordinator is brought in? Will that new coordinator want to keep working with them, or will he have a whole new system? Will Tomlin and the Rooney's promote from within? That is of course their usual track. Former Steelers offensive lineman, Ramon Foster, said recently that he doesn't have a problem with the way it has been going. 

Steelers' Ramon Foster On What Pittsburgh Might Do At Offensive Coordinator

Foster now co-hosts a podcast called The Ramon Foster Show with Pittsburgh sports reporter Dejan Kovacevic, which airs on DK Pittsburgh Sports. The Steelers-centric podcast takes questions from viewers during a segment they call "Hey 'Mon!" 

Recently, a fan wrote in and asked about Pat Meyer, the Steelers' offensive line coach. They were wondering if he would come back in 2024 if the team hires a new coordinator. While the offensive line got off to a very slow start, they are closing on a high note and the players are giving Meyer a lot of credit for turning the unit around, especially in the run game. 

"I don't know how much change is going to happen. To me, I can be satisfied with a coordinator in these types of situations. If it's gonna be Coach Faulkner and Coach Sullivan, I'm into that too. Because as a player, we're told to do a certain thing and if we believe in that thing and it actually works, you got to be okay with it," said Foster.

The reality is no decision will be made until the team formally decides who is going to be the offensive coordinator next year. It is not uncommon for new coordinators to want to hire or select their positional coaching staff.  

There have been several names thrown around including Klint Kubiak, Darrell Bevell, and former Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich. The Steelers are known to promote from within, it is just how they do things. Canada got the coordinator job after Randy Fichtner's contract was not renewed. He was already the Steelers quarterbacks coach. Fichtner got his job after biding his time with the team too. He started as a wide receivers coach and replaced his boss, the promoted Bruce Arians. 

Sometimes, these promotions from within work out. Arians helped Pittsburgh get to and win two Super Bowls XL (as wide receivers coach) and XLIII (as offensive coordinator). Arians went on to be a head coach with the Arizona Cardinals and then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he won another Super Bowl. Despite his success, many Steelers fans hated him. He even got booed at the Super Bowl parade... after the Steelers won. 

The flip side of that is coaches like Canada and Fichtner who were promoted from within and did not succeed. The Steelers have not won a playoff game since 2017 when they beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional round. While fans do not always know best, the current clamor is for the team to hire one of these newer offensive-minded coaches. Coaches like Tomlin, who are more defensive, are known to be out touch with the reality of the new NFL according to some fans. Therein lies the problem according to Foster. Will they stick with the hot hand, or will they look for the new shiny toy?

"I just don't know where the next hotshot stud is going to come to us as far as the OC. Because the O-line coach is predicated upon the offensive coordinator or coordinators. So if this thing we believe in is working in Pittsburgh, keep it the same and that means Coach Meyer stays."

We have a little while to wait for this decision. The Steelers need to ride all these hot hands - Rudolph and the one-two punch of Faulkner and Sullivan - right through the Buffalo Bills in their Wild Card matchup, on their way to a divisional game. 

Do you agree with Foster that if Sullivan and Faulkner are working, we should stick with them? Click to