The Pittsburgh Steelers recently made waves in the NFL community by announcing former Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator. While this news has generated enthusiasm amongst Steelers fans, there is also a lingering sense of doubt regarding whether the team's selection of the right candidate was the correct choice.
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Steelers insider Mark Kaboly (middle) joins Pat McAfee (left ) and AJ Hawk (right)
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly shed light on some intriguing aspects of the hiring process, including a surprising revelation about the team's exploration of collegiate options.
Steelers' Quest For The Best Offensive Coordinator
Kaboly, a trusted insider for all things Steelers, shared his insights during a conversation with Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on their show, The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller, which is aired on 93.7 The Fan.
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San Francisco 49ers offensive passing game specialist, Klint Kubiak.
Their discussion delved into why Klint Kubiak, an offensive coordinator coaching prospect, chose the New Orleans Saints over the Steelers. Kaboly hinted at the possibility of quicker career advancement as a motivating factor and dropped a bombshell regarding the Steelers' search for their offensive coordinator.
“It could just be that he thinks he might have a better opportunity to be the head coach quicker than he does here so he’ll take that. As I said before, I know for a fact they have reached out to people, but if guys aren’t sure they are legitimate candidates, why would they want their name out there publicly to be able to ruin their current job, and I’m even talking about the collegiate route or somewhere else.”
Fillipponi wasted no time in seeking clarification from Kaboly. Did the Steelers truly reach out to assistant college coaches as potential candidates for the coveted offensive coordinator position? Kaboly, while unable to confirm the exact intentions behind these outreach efforts, affirmed that the Steelers had indeed made contact with a couple of college assistant coaches.
“They’ve reached out. That doesn’t mean they reached out because they were 100% interested in hiring those guys, but they just wanted to see where he was.”
While this contact was informal, it indicated some interest in exploring the collegiate route. Fillipponi was eager to find out who exactly the Steelers reached out to in the college ranks but Kaboly laughingly made it clear he couldn't tell him that.
With Kaboly unable to disclose further details, Steeler Nation and analysts are left to wonder about the identities of these college coaches who had caught the Steelers' attention. One name that immediately springs to mind is University of Southern California senior offensive Analyst Kliff Kingsbury.
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Arizona Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury
Kaboly's statement that the Steelers "wanted to see where he was" hints at the possibility of their interest in Kingsbury, the former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and a prominent figure in the football world. However, it is essential to remember that this contact with college coaches was not limited to Kingsbury alone.
Kingsbury had garnered significant attention from Steelers fans as a preferred candidate for the offensive coordinator role. His innovative offensive strategies and past experience as an NFL head coach made him an appealing choice.
However, the Steelers ultimately opted for a different former head coach in Smith. On Saturday, Kingsbury withdrew his name from consideration for the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive coordinator position. Kingsbury is now reportedly considered a pretty serious candidate to join the Washington Commanders as their offensive coordinator.
The revelation by Kaboly about the team's outreach to college assistant coaches adds an intriguing layer to the story of their offensive coordinator search. While the specifics remain undisclosed, the possibility of the Steelers exploring collegiate talent offers a fascinating perspective on their pursuit of the perfect candidate to lead their offense.
As the NFL offseason progresses, Steeler Nation will undoubtedly continue to speculate about the intriguing connections between the Steelers and the collegiate coaching realm. As the offseason looms on, one thing remains concrete.
The Steelers have found their man to lead their offense in 2024 with Smith. Smith is determined to redeem himself after his struggles with the Falcons. Steelers fans are eagerly anticipating an offense that can consistently put points on the board. Here's hoping that the marriage between the Steelers and Smith brings a great deal of joy to Steelers fans in 2024.
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