AFC Notes: Bengals, Steelers, Texans

Bengals

Regarding the Bengals going into next season with OC Brian Callahan, WRs coach Troy Walters and QBs coach Dan Pitcher, the quarterbacks coach thinks they have “something special” building towards another Super Bowl run in 2023. 

“We’ve got something special going on now,” Pitcher said, via Geoff Hobson of the team’s official site. “I’ve been a part of this from the ground up. I believe the Super Bowl is in our near future and I want to be a part of that.”

As for Callahan being in the mix for head coaching jobs this offseason, he’s glad to be back with Cincinnati and expects Walter, Pitcher, and DC Lou Anarumo to eventually become head coaches. 

“It’s always fun to go look for a job when you’ve got a great one in your back pocket,” Callahan said. “They’re going to look back on our staff at some point in the future and they’re going to say, ‘Boy, what a coaching staff that was.’ Troy is going to be a head coach. Pitch is going to be a head coach. God-willing I’ll be one. Frank (Pollack) is one of the premier offensive line coaches in football. Lou (Anarumo) is going to be a head coach. If you’re looking for advantages, staff continuity is certainly an advantage. You have to make it pay off, too, but it’s an advantage to be going into our fifth year together. It’s pretty awesome.”

Pitcher said he feels “loyalty” to HC Zac Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin after being kept around after serving on former HC Marvin Lewis‘ staff as an offensive assistant.

“This organization has been incredible to me and my family. They gave me my first coaching job in the NFL,” Pitcher said. “To promote me numerous times and for Zac to keep me in the head coaching change (to Taylor from Marvin Lewis), I do feel a tremendous sense of loyalty to Zac, (director of player personnel) Duke Tobin and the Brown and Blackburn families.

Pitcher was grateful to have interest from the Buccaneers and meet with their staff but felt like it wasn’t the right time to leave Cincinnati. 

“The Tampa thing was an awesome opportunity. The people I met down there, Coach (Todd) Bowles, Jason Licht, the general manager, and several others in the organization, I enjoyed getting to know those guys and I’m grateful for their interest they showed in me. But I just didn’t feel like this was the time to leave Cincinnati … We’ve got this thing headed in the right direction big time and I just want to be a part of finishing it off.”

Steelers

Former Bills GM Doug Whaley said the Steelers’ offense was way too simplistic under OC Matt Canada.

The offensive system and game planning leaves a lot to be desired,” Whaley said, via Steelers Wire. “Do you ever see the Steelers offense setting up a play 50 minutes before? Do you ever see the Steelers offense putting a guy in motion to expose what the defense is doing?

Texans

  • Aaron Wilson reports the Texans are expected to hire former Chargers passing game coordinator and QBs coach Shane Day as a senior offensive assistant. 

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