Steelers' Arthur Smith's Unique Offensive Play-Calling Has The Fullback Making A Comeback

The Pittsburgh Steelers are nearing the end of their second week of training camp, and all eyes have been on new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith. This isn't a surprise, considering Smith took over for the much-beleaguered Matt Canada, who was fired partway through the 2023 season. A change in coordinator would always draw the attention of fans, but that attention is heightened because of how poorly the offense ran under Canada. 

The hiring of Smith was a polarizing decision in Pittsburgh. While he successfully ran the offense when he was the coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, he did not light the scoreboard up as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons during the past few years. Many fans are concerned that he will not be able to modernize Pittsburgh's offense. 

During these first weeks of camp, we have gotten a glimpse at how Smith does things differently than his predecessor. One area is the return of the fullback, which is good news for many longtime fans. The Steelers have long employed an effective fullback as part of their successful offenses. We saw it first with the late great Franco Harris and then Merril Hoge, but they continued to use a fullback with players like Dan Kreider and Roosevelt Nix.   

That position, which tends to do more blocking than a halfback, has all but disappeared in the modern NFL. In a recent article, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic said that Smith is returning the fullback to the Black and Gold. According to DeFabo, we saw evidence of fullback usage when Smith was with Atlanta with Keith Smith. He said they used one more than almost every other team, more than 30% of the time. DeFabo expects Jack Colletto, who has been on the Steelers' practice squad since 2023, to see some action. 

"Jack Colletto, a 2023 undrafted free agent who initially signed with the 49ers before joining the Steelers' practice squad in October, has been taking most of the fullback snaps in different situations in camp," writes DeFabo. "[Connor] Heyward and [Darnell] Washington have aligned in the backfield with their hand in the dirt in other formations. Arthur Smith said Keith Smith was able to become a valuable piece for the Falcons because he was also a core special-teamer, which provided the roster flexibility to make him active each week. Reading between the lines, it would seem Colletto's ability to contribute on special teams might determine whether he makes the 53-man roster and how much the Steelers feature the position."

DeFabo also shares a quote from Smith, in which he said that teams can't live in the fullback, I-formation, or offset, but it is an advantage if you have players who can do it and then also help in other spots. Colletto and Connor Heyward seem to be the most realistic options on the current roster to use as a fullback. 

During the 2023 season, Heyward was used on 54.77% of all special teams snaps and 64.84% in 2022. Heyward was a sixth-round selection in 2022 and appears to now be fighting Colletto for his spot on the 53-man roster.  

Steelers' Offense Is Evolving 

In the same article, DeFabo said that not just the fullback position is changing; he sees improvements all over the offense, including Smith's increased usage of tight ends. Smith employed the same plays in Atlanta. DeFabo said that the Falcons led the NFL with 32.2 plays per game out of either 12 or 13 personnel, using either two or three tight ends. In camp so far, he said we have seen multiple instances of Smith using three tight ends at once.  

He adds that Smith is using those tight ends at times to play "bully ball" and at other times to create a smoke screen for wide receiver George Pickens. The good news is what they are calling is more creative and employs variety in the way in which players are utilized. This is a relief considering how often opponents said the Steelers were predictable the past few seasons.   

What do you think will happen with the fullback position in Pittsburgh in 2024? Click to comment below. 

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