AFC Notes: Browns, Ravens, Don Martindale, Steelers

Browns

• Browns assistant special teams coach Doug Colman is no longer on the staff following his third season with the team. (Field Yates)

Ravens

• According to Jeff Zrebiec, Don Martindale had a year left on his contract when the Ravens decided to let him go on Friday.
• Aaron Wilson reports the Ravens moved on from Martindale due to “philosophical differences” and defensive passing game coordinator Chris Hewitt could be a candidate for the DC job.
• Wilson also mentions Michigan DC Mike Macdonald as an option.
• According to Jason La Canfora, Jaguars DC Joe Cullen is a DC possibility after leaving the team last year for the role in Jacksonville.
• Jeremy Fowler lists Ravens defensive line coach and run-game coordinator Anthony Weaver as a DC candidate as well.
• According to Tom VanHaaren, the University of Wisconsin is targeting Ravens TE coach Bobby Engram for their offensive coordinator job and a deal could be completed this week. 
• According to Albert Breer,  there are several reasons why the Ravens parted ways with DC Don Martindale including the fact that he was in the final year of his deal.
• This leaves Martindale free to pursue a multi-year contract and the Ravens can get their defensive coordinator of the future this season.

Steelers

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin issued a vote of confidence in OC Matt Canada but added that their offense took a “step back” in 2021. 

“I am optimistic about Matt and what he is capable of doing,” Tomlin said via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I acknowledge that we took a step back. There are some obvious tangible reasons why that occurred, so I am not going to get into that. I am not going to seek comfort in that. We have to be better. We intend to be, and that requires a lot of planning.”

Tomlin added that he still believes Canada will be a valuable piece of their offense. 

“I am not expressing satisfaction with any component of it,” Tomlin said. “I am just acknowledging that he brings things to the table that is attractive, and we need to be better and we will be. That’s a component of it as well. I am not acknowledging satisfaction with any component of what we did as we sit here today.”

As for the Steelers shuffling things around on their offensive line this season, Tomlin admits that having players with less experience contributed to their struggles.

“I think when you got red paint, you paint your barn red,” Tomlin said. “That not only transpired in-season but also transpires in every component of the journey. We went into the season understanding we had new and often times new and young people that comprise significant components of that unit. So those discussions were ongoing not only during certain points of the year from the outset.