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The Steelers promoted Matt Canada from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator on Monday after not renewing Randy Fichtner's contract following the 2020 season. With Canada in his new role, the Steelers are in the process of looking for a new quarterbacks coach.
Canada got the job over former Browns' head coach Hue Jackson and former Chargers' quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton. Hamilton also interviewed with the Titans for their offensive coordinator job. So he could land in Tennessee. If not, the Steelers would be wise to hire Hamilton as their quarterbacks coach. He has a long history of molding young quarterbacks.
Being that Hamilton is no longer with the Chargers, he wouldn't be making a lateral move by becoming the Steelers' quarterbacks coach. If he was still with the team, it would be a different story.
Hamilton has been known to develop quarterbacks, as he coached Andrew Luck at Standford as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, and then went on to be the offensive coordinator in Indianapolis with Luck at quarterback from 2013-2015. Hamilton joined Hue Jackson's staff in Cleveland in 2016 as the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach after being fired in-season by the Colts the previous season.
From 2017-2018, Hamilton was the assistant head coach and passing game coordinator at Michigan. In February of 2019, Hamilton joined the XFL's DC Defenders to be their head coach and general manager for the 2020 XFL season. The season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the league is expected to return in 2022.
In April of 2020, Hamilton joined the Chargers to be their quarterbacks coach. He played a big role in the development of Justin Herbert, who is the odds-on favorite to be named Offensive Rookie of the Year. Herbert completed 396 of 595 passes (66.6%) for 4,336 yards and had a 31-10 touchdown-interception ratio, along with a quarterback rating of 98.3. Herbert set NFL rookie records in passing yards (4,336), touchdown passes (31) and completions (396).
With Ben Roethlisberger in the last year of his contract, Hamilton would be a great hire to develop Mason Rudolph and the newly signed Dwayne Haskins. He did a phenomenal job in elevating Luck and Herbert's game as young quarterbacks. Hamilton could also have the opportunity to develop the next heir apparent to Roethlisberger, who most likely will be selected in the 2020 NFL Draft.