At a time when the Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be getting rid of coaches more than bringing them in, the organization has reportedly decided to keep one of the newer, and younger, coaches for another two years.
It is being reported by Aaron Wilson, NFL Insider, that the Steelers have given running backs coach Eddie Faulkner a new two-year contract extension.
Veteran running backs coach Eddie Faulkner, a rising coach, has signed a two-year contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to league sources
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) January 28, 2021
Faulkner was hired by the Steelers in January of 2019, and after two years on the job the Steelers saw enough to extend his contract another two seasons.
Prior to coming to the Steelers, Faulkner coached the tight ends and full backs at N.C. State, this when Jaylen Samuels was an H-Back for the Wolf Pack.
This decision by the Steelers will likely be met with confusion and frustration considering how poorly the Steelers’ running game was in 2020. The Steelers ranked dead last in the NFL in yards per game, as well as yards per attempt this past season. When the Steelers chose to not give Shaun Sarrett, the former offensive line coach, a new contract, and they now have decided to extend Faulkner, they made their stance pretty clear on where they thought felt the issues really fell.
One note to keep in mind is how Faulkner started coaching at N.C. State in 2013, the same year Matt Canada was hired to be the offensive coordinator at N.C. State. Canada was the coordinator there from 2013-2015, and his connection with Faulkner could be a reason why he decided to keep him on his staff.
Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC as the team continues to fill out the remaining holes on their coaching staff, prepare for the new league year and the 2021 NFL Draft.