The Pittsburgh Steelers hunt for their next offensive coordinator is well underway. While there have been a lot of names floated about, there haven't been very many actual interviews. So far the team has announced they have spoken with Jerrod Johnson, Thomas Brown, and most recently, Arthur Smith. This has led to much speculation among the media and fans as to who the best candidate is and who will get the job.
Jason Bridge/US PRESSWIRE
Jerrod Johnson played in the preseason and remained on the Steelers' Practice Squad. Now, the Steelers are looking to bring him back as the Offensive Coordinator.
That media speculation includes some from current and former players, one of them being Steelers defensive captain Cameron Heyward. Heyward co-hosts a podcast called Not Just Football With Cam Heyward with his longtime friend Hayden Walsh. On a recent episode, Walsh asked Heyward about the recent interview with Smith.
Smith, who was most recently the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, jokingly Walsh asked Heyward for any inside scoop, to which he responded that he didn't have any more information than the average person on the street.
Heyward is always cautious about how he words things. He is not a fan of the media twisting what he has to say, and this makes him very mindful to not say anything that can be misconstrued. However, Walsh still asked him to play general manager a little bit and talk about how Smith fits the Steelers' needs.
"I think if you look at what he did in Tennessee, you know with Derrick Henry, I think he won the MVP while he was there and (Ryan) Tannehill played very well that year. So he's definitely had a lot of success. I know last year wasn't a lot of success and things went wrong and that's the reason why he was fired," Heyward said.
Smith spent three years as the coach of the Falcons and took a lot of heat for failing to realize and utilize the talent he drafted. The Falcons went 7-10 all three seasons he was there. They struggled the most finding stability at quarterback having fielded Marcus Mariota, Matt Ryan, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke.
Quinn Harris | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Steelers interviewed former Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Arthur Smith for their offensive coordinator opening.
Before coming to Atlanta, Smith had garnered positive attention for his work with the Tennessee Titans. Under his direction, Ryan Tannehill was named the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2019. Tannehill had a passer rating of 110 over those two seasons and was 18-8. Running back Derrick Henry was able to help Tennessee rush for 138.9 yards per game which was third best in the NFL. Smith got the Titans offense to 12th in the league in 2019 and then all the way to second in 2020, and that got his name out there as a potential head coach.
Steelers Could Benefit From Hiring Smith
Like Heyward mentioned, under Smith, the Titans offense was able to get rolling. While some might balk at taking a recently fired coach, it isn't for a lateral position. Smith likely needs to go back to his offensive roots and gain some more experience and Pittsburgh makes a lot of sense.
Courtney Culbreath / Getty Images
Tennessee Titans running back, Derrick Henry (#22) carries the football during an NFL matchup.
After almost three years with Matt Canada, the Steelers' offense lacks identity and stability. The Steelers' transition from Ben Roethlisberger to Kenny Pickett has been rough. While Pickett just finished his second year in the league, it is hard to say definitively that anyone understands the direction in which he is headed. The time spent under Canada, in that head-scratching system, might have actually done him damage.
While Mason Rudolph was able to step in and win the final three games of the 2023 season, it is unclear what will happen to him in 2024. While Head Coach Mike Tomlin has said that he plans to stick with Pickett next season, if they work something out with Rudolph, they could have a quarterback controversy on their hands.
On top of the quarterback situation, the Steelers saw their run game take off in 2023, particularly near the end of the season. The tandem of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren were a sight to behold. With two different running styles and with both of them willing to make key blocks, they helped the Steelers develop some offense. If Smith could help them the way he helped Henry, the two might make Kyle Brandt's "Angry Runs" segment every week.
As for now, most Steelers fans are just thrilled that the organization is actually looking outside of itself for candidates. The last three offensive candidates have all been internal promotions with mostly underwhelming results. This gives fans hope that the team recognizes the need to find a strong coordinator that can help propel the Steelers offense into something that is a contender in 2024.
Pittsburgh Steelers
When Steelers Najee Harris won the "Angry Run Award" from Kyle Brandt, he sent back a photo of the offensive line and tight ends holding the scepter.
What do you think about the possibility of Smith being hired? What are his positives and negatives? Who do you think the team should consider, within reason? Do you like Johnson or Brown better? What is their biggest need going into the new season and how do they fill that need? Tell us what you think! Click to comment below.
#SteelerNation
