Steelers' Cordarrelle Patterson Notices Big Differences With Arthur Smith Since Coming To Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers saw a lot of turnover on offensive coaching staff and on the offensive side of the roster during the 2024 offseason. A new coordinator was brought in as Arthur Smith will lead the unit. There is also a new quarterbacks coach in Tom Arth and Zach Azzanni was brought in as the new wide receivers coach. The biggest change was by far Smith, who was fired by the Atlanta Falcons after serving as their head coach for three straight seasons.

Smith was scrutinized heavily during his time with the Falcons. He served as their head coach, but was also their offensive play-caller. He was one of the best offensive coordinators in the league when he was with the Tennessee Titans, but for whatever reason, it didn't work out for him during his first try as an NFL head coach. 

He reunited in Pittsburgh with some of his former players, including the versatile Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson spoke about changes he has seen in his former head coach, which was reported in a recent article by Brian Batko.

"Honestly, he seems a lot different, in a good way. It seems like he doesn’t have so much stress on him, you know? Ever since I met Arthur, he’s been my guy. It was a no-brainer for me to come here when he got the job.”

A lot of Smith's former players have nothing but good things to say about the coach, and it shows by how many of them followed him to Pittsburgh. Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, MyCole Pruitt and Patterson all used to play for Smith back in Atlanta. This makes Week 1 quite the storyline, as Pittsburgh will travel to Atlanta to try and take down the Falcons.

Smith is a breath of fresh air for fans, as he takes over for Matt Canada, who was the offensive coordinator for the Steelers for two full seasons and some change. Canada was one of the worst coordinators in the league, and fans are excited to see what Smith can do with the offense. Smith was so impressive with the Titans as their offensive coordinator that he became a head coach after just two seasons in the role.

Pittsburgh's offense was often stagnant under Canada, and it consistently ranked near the bottom of the league. Smith's offense was ranked near the top of the league in Tennessee, and he should have the tools to do that again in Pittsburgh. The wide receiver room is shaky, but Smith operates a run-heavy offense, and the Steelers certainly have the personnel to pull that off.

Steelers' Arthur Smith Gets A Ton Of Respect From His Players

Smith seems to get the same kind of buy-in from his players that Head Coach Mike Tomlin gets, which is something fans seem to love. Players around the NFL respect Smith, especially once they learn of his backstory and who his family is. His father founded FedEx, and the family obviously has a decent fortune. Despite this, Smith is self-made. He didn't take any short cuts to get to where he is, which Patterson spoke about.

"I’d do anything for him. I know I can't do much for him because of who he is. You wouldn't even know. Some of the running backs didn't even know that. And that’s a good thing. He doesn't go around telling everyone, ‘My dad is a billionaire, I don't [freaking] need this job.’ He got it out the mud. That’s probably why a lot of guys respect him. He worked his way up.”

The coordinator could easily not work a day for the rest of his life, or he could have been handed a high-ranking job in the family business. Instead, he decided to take the hard route and become a coach in the NFL and help players become the best versions of themselves. Smith began his coaching journey at North Carolina, where he played, back in 2006. He made it to the Titans in 2011, and was there until he was offered the head coaching job in Atlanta in 2021.

What do you think of Smith and his relationship with the players? Let us know in the comments below!

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