Calvin Austin just threw the first stone, and it landed square in the chest. The former Steelers wide receiver made his feelings on Matt Canada crystal clear in a recent social media post. Fans already despised the offensive coordinator, but now a player has joined the chorus. This isn’t just fan anger anymore. It’s a player looking back at a wasted stretch of football.
The Pain Was Real for Everyone
Mentioning Matt Canada still triggers rage and PTSD in Steelers fans. He served as the team’s offensive coordinator from 2021 to 2023. During that time, the Steelers offense ranked as one of the worst in the entire NFL. The stats prove the misery. From 2022 to 2023, the team scored 30 points just once. They failed to reach 400 total yards in 58 straight games. That awful streak only ended after Canada was fired. According to Behind the Steel Curtain, even the players grew tired of the scheme.
58 games without 400 yards.
That’s a statistical anomaly that usually only happens to teams rebuilding from a total disaster, yet here we are watching a playoff-caliber roster suffocate under a system that refused to evolve or adapt to the talent on the field. The offense didn’t just struggle; it actively regressed while the league moved forward.
A Player Speaks Up
Calvin Austin was one of those players who had enough. He posted a comment on an Instagram video that acted like a faux documentary about fans surviving Canada. Austin asked for his part in the story with a touch of dark humor. “Just let me know when my segment is,” Austin said with two laughing emojis. The Memphis product was a fourth-round pick in 2022. He missed his rookie year due to injury. He caught just 15 passes with Canada as his coach. His numbers jumped to 36 and 31 catches in 2024 and 2025. Austin signed a one-year deal with the New York Giants this offseason. Per Behind the Steel Curtain, his low numbers under Canada show the system held him back.
15 catches in three years.
When you look at a player like Austin who finally broke out with 36 receptions once he left Pittsburgh, you can’t help but wonder how much potential was left on the table while the playbook remained stuck in 2018. The system didn’t just underperform; it actively stifled a receiver who proved he could be a weapon elsewhere.
Why This Matters Now
This moment shows that the offense was a disaster for everyone involved. The players knew the play-calling was wrong while the fans screamed from the stands. Austin’s joke cuts deep because it is true. The team did not score enough points or gain enough yards. The firing of Canada finally snapped the long losing streak on the field. Now a former player confirms what fans have known for years. The offense was broken under his watch. Fans need to see this truth before moving on to the next season. The Giants got a better receiver than the Steelers did during those dark years. It is time for the franchise to admit the mistake.
Admit the mistake.
Because keeping a coach who produced 30 points in two seasons isn’t just bad management; it’s a deliberate insult to the fans who paid money to watch their team lose ground every single Sunday for three agonizing years.
