The Pittsburgh Steelers finished their 2023 season with one big question mark ahead of them: who would be the offensive coordinator for the team in 2024 and beyond? On Friday, they found their man and made it official with the hiring of Arthur Smith, who was the head coach for the Atlanta Falcons from 2021 through 2023. One of the most important tasks that Smith has on his plate is to facilitate the growth of Kenny Pickett. That is something Smith feels confident about coming into the position.
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Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has plenty of young talent to work with
Steelers Eager For Pickett To Start Growing
When the Steelers selected Pickett with the 20th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, they expected more than what they had gotten from him in terms of production. In 25 career games, Pickett has managed a paltry 13 touchdowns to go with 13 interceptions. For a quarterback with Pickett's pedigree, that simply isn't acceptable.
Smith sat down with the Steelers for a one-on-one interview and he spoke on the importance of his relationship with Pickett. For the newly hired coordinator, everything comes down to trust, and that is something he is looking forward to building with the young passer.
"First off, there's a relationship that's gotta be built between me and Kenny, and that's so paramount between play-caller and the quarterback...there's a trust that's gotta be built daily. And [it] goes both ways, you know, I gotta earn Kenny's trust and vice versa as we build this offense and everything we want to work on and we want him to work on, and take command of this offense."
It isn't just the prospect of working with a high draft pick under center, as well as the many other young talents on Pittsburgh's roster, it's about the city itself. Smith understands that there is a deep, rich history that goes hand-in-hand with the Steelers. That is something he has heard most of his coaching career, and now he gets to experience it firsthand. He has worked with Bill Cowher, Dick LeBeau and Ken Wisenhunt in the past, and according to Smith, they all let him know how special the city of Pittsburgh is.
"Everybody, to a person, talks about how special it is to work here in Pittsburgh...I don't know many places like this in all of professional sports, with the history, and there's a certain unique -- when people see that Steelers' logo, they know what it is, and uh, the fan base is real football fans here. They love it. I'm excited to be a part of it."
Prior to having the head coaching job in Atlanta, Smith was also the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, so this isn't a new situation for him. He also was charged with overseeing the growth of 2022 draft pick Desmond Ridder as the Falcons' quarterback. While there will certainly be new challenges and unique circumstances in Pittsburgh, it's good to know that Smith won't go up against anything he hasn't dealt with before.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has to take a big leap in order for his high draft pick to be worthwhile
Steelers Believe Smith Can Get The Most Out Of Young Talent
Whether it is developing the first-round abilities the Steelers saw in Pickett or reining in the maturity issues that George Pickens showed, Smith will have his hands full. When a new coach is coming into a situation like the Steelers currently have, it can be intimidating. The Matt Canada debacle left a sour taste in everyone's mouth, and fair or not, that will be up to Smith to cleanse the pallets.
This is where some concerns start to emerge, though, because there are similarities between the Falcons teams that Smith coached and the current version of the Steelers. Atlanta had a young quarterback that needed to progress, a dynamic running back, a talented wide receiver and a skilled tight end. All you need to do is glance at Pittsburgh's roster to see that Pickett, Najee Harris, Pickens and Pat Freiermuth present an eerily similar scenario for Smith to come into.
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris has grown into a leader both on and off the field for the team
While there is always a chance that Pittsburgh could watch this promising collaboration turn into the disappointing results that the Falcons turned in, there is also the chance that Smith learned from those situations. It is easy to assume that because someone is going from a head coaching position to a coordinator job, it means they aren't cut out for it, but every place and opportunity is different, and sometimes, all the team needs is that right fit.
It's far too early for Smith to go in the positive or negative, but looking ahead, there is a great deal of promise. The Steelers wanted an experienced candidate who would be charged with bringing Pickett along, and that is precisely what they believe they found. Now, all that's left is for Smith to prove that the Steelers made the right call.
What do you expect to improve in the 2024 Steelers' offense under Arthur Smith?
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