The Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive coordinator position has been a touchy subject over the last several seasons. Fans didn't like Randy Fichtner, and Matt Canada called plays like he was barely qualified to be on a high school coaching staff. Finally, there is some optimism with the new offensive system under Arthur Smith. The hiring of Smith had mixed reviews because of the criticism he received while being the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons for three years, but he was one of the best coordinators in the league prior to that with the Tennessee Titans.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and former Atlanta Falcons Head Coach, Arthur Smith embrace each other after their teams faced off during a professional football game.
Smith flamed out as head coach of the Falcons. At times, it seemed as though he wasn't ready to take on so much responsibility. He was still the play-caller for Atlanta, but had to handle everything else as well. He accepted the head coaching job after only having two seasons under his belt as a coordinator, so gaining more experience in Pittsburgh will be beneficial to his future endeavors. Smith spoke to the local Pittsburgh media for the first time on the first day of minicamp, where he shared how easy of a decision it was to come to Pittsburgh.
"The way that the Rooneys have done business here, I got to know Omar [Khan] a little bit over the years through league meetings, and certainly Mike [Tomlin]. That was very appealing. It's rare when you have a guy that's been in one spot and had the success he's had, that is older and has done it for a longer time. Somebody that you can learn from and has, really a shared belief. So, really, it was a home run for me. Funny how life works that way, you know? Things don't go your way, then a door opens. I couldn't have asked for a better situation."
It's no secret that Smith has a strong desire to become a successful head coach in the NFL. His father is the founder of FedEx, and Smith has been on a constant journey to prove himself and make his own legacy. His first stop as a head coach with the Falcons didn't go well, as the team finished 7-10 in all three seasons he was at the helm. With Smith still wanting to coach again, he can soak in a lot of knowledge from one of the best in the league in Mike Tomlin.
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Steelers' new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith speaks to the media during his first offseason as a member of the coaching staff.
There is a lot of benefits in Pittsburgh for Smith, but the Steelers will also benefit from him being the offensive play-caller. His run-heavy offense aligns perfectly with the character of the Steelers organization. When it comes to personnel, his offense is once again a perfect fit. Pittsburgh has one of the best running back duos in the league in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, and Smith will use them to his advantage, just as he did in Tennessee with Derrick Henry.
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Steelers' Najee Harris getting ready to stiff arm a defender.
Steelers' Offensive Line Will Benefit From Bringing In Smith
One of the few bright spots of the Steelers' offense in 2023 was the run game. Harris rushed for over 1,000 yards for the third straight season, and Warren also had 1,000 scrimmage yards. Pittsburgh's offensive line is better at run blocking than pass blocking, so being able to line up in Smith's offense and run the ball down a defense's throat should be the main goal of the Pittsburgh offense.
This will also make it easier to pass protect. Pittsburgh will be able to use the threat of the run to their advantage, whether that be in play-action schemes, or something else. Defenses around the league will need to respect the run against the Steelers, which means putting more defenders in the box, which will allow for routes to come open sooner. Therefore, the offensive line won't need to protect for as long.
What do you think of Smith's motive to come to Pittsburgh? Does he just want to learn from Tomlin and then go be a head coach elsewhere? Comment below.
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