Steelers' Arthur Smith "Pushed" Ryan Tannehill "In A Great Way," Could Be Key Unlocking Justin Fields' Full Potential

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of exciting battles at training camp in 2024. While many eyes are on the big ones, like quarterback and offensive tackle, no one can forget about one of the biggest changes of all: the addition of new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith. The team suffered under the inept play-calling of Matt Canada for nearly three seasons. Finally, after a brutal loss to the Cleveland Browns during Week 11, Head Coach Mike Tomlin made the decision fans and the media had been demanding.

During the offseason, Pittsburgh hired Smith, the former Atlanta Falcons head coach. Smith had been recently fired after the Falcons continually failed to make the postseason. While the lack of success in Atlanta gave many pause, Smith had prior success with the Tennessee Titans as their offensive coordinator. During the 2019 and 2020 seasons, the Titans had one of the top offenses in the league, and running back Derrick Henry had the best season of his exceptional career. 

Smith also helped quarterback Ryan Tannehill revitalize his career. Tannehill had been traded to the Titans from the Miami Dolphins in 2019, and he replaced Marcus Mariota during their Week 6 game against the Denver Broncos. Tannehill and Smith helped the Titans right the ship of the previously floundering season, making the playoffs. Tannehill was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. 

Recently, Tannehill spoke about Smith on the Scoop City Podcast, which Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel co-host together. They mentioned to Tannehill how Smith is now in Pittsburgh, back in an offensive coordinator position, and dealing with two different, but talented quarterbacks. Tannehill indicated what Russell Wilson and Justin Fields might expect from Smith. 

"Arthur's great," Tannehill said. "I really enjoyed my time with him as coordinator. We really had a close relationship. I felt like he pushed me in a way that a lot of other coaches didn't. Not that they didn't push me, but he pushed me in a great way. He had just the right touch of push without being over the top, where it became a negative thing. He pushed me to try unconventional things with the play-action and the things I hadn't really done before. It was new to me, a lot of the stuff we were doing. He pushed me to just jump in and give it a try. So I did, and it was working. So I kept trusting him and kept leaning into it, and together, we were able to make a lot of positive strides for the offense."

This is particularly intriguing for Fields, the younger of the two. Wilson is well-established in the NFL, having won a Super Bowl, but Fields needs to grow and learn. This is exactly why Tomlin likely plans to have him on the bench behind Wilson to start the 2024 season. 

Fields is an exceptional athlete, but wasn't developed adequately during his time with the Chicago Bears. He had the potential to be the top dual-threat quarterback in the league. However, while he throws a solid deep ball, as fans have already seen in camp, he struggles with accuracy. 

If Smith can convince Fields to adopt his way of thinking, then Fields might be the Steelers' answer to their long-term quarterback question. The fan base will have to wait and see exactly what kind of game plan Smith chooses to implement, but one thing is for sure: th offense is filled with several men who feel they have something to prove. 

Steelers' Justin Fields Perfect Fit For Arthur Smith

Wilson and Fields are in Pittsburgh on one-year deals; what will happen to them after the season is anyone's guess and will likely depend on performance. ESPN analyst Louis Riddick recently said he believes the Steelers will want to keep Fields beyond the 2024 season. He doesn't see him as a one-year player. 

Riddick also said that he knows Smith well and that the coach values players like Fields, who have diverse skills. He predicted Fields will take over as the face of the franchise in the Steel City.

What do you think about Smith's ability to influence the quarterbacks positively? Click to comment below.

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