Steelers Insider Reveals Shocking Truth About Mike Tomlin And Arthur Smith's Offensive Working Relationship

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has taken a lot of heat for how his team collapsed during the 2024 season. One of the big collapses happened on the offensive side of the football. Many had hoped new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith could’ve played a greater role in lifting this offense to new heights. 

At one point, it looked like what Smith was doing was working, but that all changed when the Steelers lost five straight to end the season. Many Steelers fans have assumed Tomlin hasn’t given Smith much control of the offense. They feel like Tomlin has his hands way too involved in the offense, and that’s why no matter who the coordinator is, the offense looks scared and predictable.

However, on Wednesday, Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo made a big statement on the 93.7 The Fan show. Fittipaldo revealed Smith has much more say in the offense than many fans think. The perception that Tomlin is micromanaging the offense may not be as accurate as once believed. 

"I think Mike Tomlin does leave a lot to Arthur [Smith] and let's him operate on his own," Fittipaldo said. "I don't think that he has his hands in the offense as much as he does with the defense."

According to Fittipaldo, Smith has had significant control over game-planning and play-calling, but the challenges lie deeper than just the coach’s influence. The struggles seem to stem from a combination of inconsistent execution and roster limitations that have held back Smith’s vision. 

Fittipaldo also made it clear that he firmly believes the shift to conservative football was entirely Smith's decision, with Tomlin agreeing to it. This means Smith was calling the shots during the most critical moments of the season offensively— a reality that contrasts sharply with what many Steelers fans had assumed.

Steelers' Arthur Smith Allegedly Made The Call To Play Conservatively On Offense

The shocking part came down the stretch when the Steelers began playing conservative football. Fittipaldo attributed that shift directly to Smith, suggesting that Tomlin trusted him to make such a pivotal decision at such a critical moment. However, if true, the gamble backfired. The team’s conservative approach ultimately led to failure, as the Steelers struggled during their five-game skid.

This new revelation raises a crucial question for Steelers fans: If Smith has indeed had more control over the offense, what’s really been the cause of the team’s offensive woes? Is it a lack of execution by the players, or has the scheme just not been as effective as many hoped? With the future of the offense hanging in the balance, fans are eager to see whether this insight into Smith’s role will spark a deeper understanding of the problems plaguing Pittsburgh’s offense moving forward.

Smith clearly didn’t have the offense where he wanted it in 2024, and fans’ expectations were much higher. While there were moments when the offense gave fans hope, it was disheartening to watch it crumble when it mattered most. The run game never reached its potential, the offensive line was clearly behind true contenders in the league, and the passing attack struggled.

While the Steelers’ personnel played a part in these issues, the offense was still putting up decent numbers before Smith opted for a more conservative approach. Hopefully, he’s learned from this experience, and in 2025, he can lead the offense to be both aggressive and productive. Steelers fans are growing frustrated with an offense that consistently holds them back and a defense that underperforms. Gaining more insight into how Tomlin allocates control behind the scenes is certainly intriguing.

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