First Call: Former Steelers assistant to interview for Patriots OC job; Brian Flores to Arizona 'buzz is real'

With Matt Canada staying in place as the Steelers offensive coordinator, Thursday’s “First Call” examines if there was ever really any interest by the franchise when it came to potentially hiring Byron Leftwich.

A former Steelers assistant may be in the running for the Patriots offensive coordinator job. A current Steelers assistant may be in line for the head coaching gig in Arizona.

And the right team lost in the Metropolitan Division as the Penguins were falling to Ottawa.

Upon further review

Now that we know Matt Canada is staying on in Pittsburgh, was there ever any fire to the smoke about the Steelers waiting to see if Byron Leftwich was going to get fired in Tampa Bay?

“I didn’t hear it so much down here,” Jay Recher of WDAE Radio in Tampa Bay told me during Wednesday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast. “I did (hear the rumors) because I follow your stuff and some stuff out of Pittsburgh. I was trying to put two and two together. … But I don’t know. I don’t think it would’ve been an upgrade if it would have been Byron Leftwich. He had an unbelievably tough year.”

Moments after the Buccaneers lost their playoff game to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night, there was a report that Leftwich was going to be fired as Tampa’s OC. There had been some scuttlebutt in Pittsburgh that Mike Tomlin wanted to hold off on officially retaining Canada because Tomlin had an interest in Leftwich for the job.

But Recher said there was no indication of that down in Tampa, and, as of yet, Leftwich hasn’t been officially fired anyway. Leftwich won a Super Bowl with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers — as part of the coaching staff of head coach and former Steelers assistant Bruce Arians — in 2020. Leftwich was a quarterback under Tomlin in Pittsburgh in 2008 and again between 2010-12.

To Recher’s point about Leftwich not being much of an upgrade over Canada, Tampa Bay averaged only 18.4 points per game, 25th in the NFL. The Steelers were 26th at 18.1.

Tampa’s rushing attack was the worst in football, at 76.9 yards per game. But their passing offense averaged 269.8 yards per game, second best in the NFL.

More sports

• Matt Canada to return for 3rd season as Steelers offensive coordinator
• Penguins lose special teams battle to Senators in overtime
• Pitt/Notre Dame renewal set in South Bend after 5-year absence

Heading west?

Jeremy Fowler used to be on the Steelers beat for ESPN.com before he joined the outlet for national coverage of the NFL.

He has his ear to the ground about all sorts of angles to various coaching vacancies. Here is what he posted about the job opening in Arizona and whether or not Steelers assistant coach Brian Flores is in the mix.

“The Cardinals could go defense this time around, and Vance Joseph, Brian Flores and DeMeco Ryans are part of the focus,” Fowler said. “All three will get their shot to win it. After asking around, I do think the buzz around Flores and this job is real. There’s some traction, but it’s still early. And Joseph is well-respected in the building, which helps his case.”

However, Flores might have one angle going for him.

New Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort spent 13 seasons with the Patriots while Brian Flores, a coaching candidate for Arizona, was in New England as an executive and coach. Could be a reunion in AZ

— Bob McManaman (@azbobbymac) January 16, 2023

According to the Arizona Republic, the Cardinals have also asked the Detroit Lions about interviewing defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

Moving up the ladder?

A former Steelers assistant coach is getting some interest as a potential offensive coordinator in New England. It’s former offensive line coach Adrian Klemm.

That’s according to ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss. Klemm left the Steelers for the University of Oregon during the 2020 season.

Klemm was the first-ever draft pick by the Patriots after Bill Belichick was hired in 2000. He was a second-round offensive lineman out of the University of Hawaii. Klemm spent five years with the Patriots, appearing in 26 contests with 10 starts. Klemm was also a member of three Super Bowl champion teams during his time with the Patriots.

Via ProFootballTalk, the Patriots are also expected to interview Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell and their tight ends coach Nick Caley. Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien is also believed to be a candidate. He was on Belichick’s staff for four years before becoming Penn State’s head coach in 2012.

A little help

The Penguins may have lost 5-4 in overtime to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. But they still managed to gain some ground on their closest competition for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Entering play Wednesday, the Pens and New York Islanders had 50 points apiece, good for fifth in the Metropolitan Division and for the last Eastern Conference wild card. But the Pens picked up a point since they at least got that game to overtime.

Meanwhile, the Islanders got smooshed by the Atlantic-leading Boston Bruins 4-1. Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist for the Bruins.

All the way from Long Beach pic.twitter.com/4vRA0DJTll

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 19, 2023

Tomorrow, the top four teams in the Metro are all in action as the division-leading Hurricanes (62 points) host Minnesota, the second-place New Jersey Devils (61 points) visit Seattle, the New York Rangers (57) welcome Boston, and the Washington Capitals (54) are out in Arizona to square off against the Coyotes.