Chris Long: Steelers Hiring Arthur Smith Is Better Than "Bringing A Knife To A Gunfight In The AFC North"

The Pittsburgh Steelers changed how they typically do business with their most recent hire. They are well known for promoting from within, but when they brought new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith on board, Head Coach Mike Tomlin held true to his end-of-season promise of hiring outside the organization. The hire has created a series of mixed emotions in Steeler Nation, with fans divided over the former Atlanta Falcons head coach. However, former NFL defensive end turned analyst, Chris Long says there are a lot of reasons for Steelers fans to embrace this decision. 

Long hosts a podcast called Green Light With Chris Long. On a recent episode, he shared his thoughts about Smith and his likely impact on the organization (also specifically with quarterback Kenny Pickett). He said he found it encouraging that a team that values continuity and growing their own, took a chance on someone from outside. Long noted that he hasn't seen the Steelers do that since he was in the league and they hired Todd Haley. 

"I think this is an outlier when it comes to Pittsburgh making a hire, going outside the building. Tomlin's very loyal to a fault and was slow to get rid of [Matt] Canada, but he did the right thing. I think this hire is in line with what I would do if I was up there. I'd go get an experienced play-caller, someone that puts an onus on the run game and an onus on play-action pass, especially in that division. That quick game they were doing for a couple of years, the lack of creativity, the predictability, you're not bringing a knife to a gunfight in the AFC North anymore," said Long.

For one thing, Long thinks it is always a benefit to have a coach with head coaching experience in the building. He was quick to point out that Tomlin does not need any help managing the team. But operations can only go smoother when a coordinator truly understands the big picture. 

Steelers' Arthur Smith Is Set Up For Success In Pittsburgh

There are a lot of fans who cannot see past the fact that Smith was not a successful head coach in Atlanta. He was with the Falcons for three seasons and compiled a record of 21-30, going 7-10 each year. They were never able to make the playoffs either. Long said he is not going to hold Atlanta against Smith and no one in Pittsburgh should either. 

Instead, fans need to look at a more apples-to-apples comparison, like his prior position with the Tennessee Titans as their offensive coordinator. Long noted that he saw him successfully call plays for the Titans in 2019 and 2020. He got the best out of quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry.

While he won't say that Pickett and Tannehill are the same kind of quarterback, he does see a lot of similarities. The same for Steelers running back Najee Harris, while not the same runner as Henry, the two stylistically have a lot in common and the run game thrived with Smith. 

"I think especially with the quarterback, seeing those results makes me feel good about what they could get out of the guys they have in Pittsburgh."

The Steelers committed to the run game in 2023 and he thinks Smith's commitment to a play-action style of offense will meld nicely with Pickett and Harris. He added that when Smith got fired from Atlanta, the group that was the most upset was the offensive linemen, they loved Smith. 

Long believes that much like Pittsburgh, Atlanta has some individual talent, but they aren't collectively the best line in the league. While he knows the Steelers will upgrade that line, he expects Smith to get the best out of them, which will boost that play-action. 

"Play-action pass is something that Pittsburgh left money on the table with. They were 31st in the league when it came to play-action attempts. Arthur has been top five everywhere he's gone. If you want to know what they are going to look like, I think the run game is going to be a big part of that and I think the play-actions will be something that is the best friend of an average quarterback."

That means it doesn't matter if Pickett is under center or if it is longtime backup Mason Rudolph. Either would thrive in Smith's offense. Long also thinks it is still a possibility that the team might bring in a veteran like Tannehill or even Kirk Cousins. Cousins was starting for the Minnesota Vikings before an Achilles injury ended his season. During his time in Minnesota, he and the Vikings were leading the league in play-action passing according to Long. 

Steelers fans should be excited about the hire of Smith. He is the right man, at the right time, to help the team's offense get back on track. 

What do you think about Long's comments on Smith? Click to comment below!

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