The League Loves Steelers' Arthur Smith's Impressive Ability To "Squeeze Every Ounce Out Of This Offense"

The Pittsburgh Steelers went through a ton of trials and tribulations throughout the 2024 season. The team was 10-3 at one point with a chance to win the AFC North and host a playoff game, but Pittsburgh fumbled that opportunity by losing its last four games of the regular season. Despite the lack of postseason success for the Steelers during the 2024 season, there were some major improvements seen on the offensive side of the ball from years past. There was a point during the season where the offense was able to win a shootout against the Cincinnati Bengals, which is something that couldn't have happened in recent years.

Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith was under fire during multiple points in the 2024 season, but he didn't have a completely bad year. All things considered, he did a lot of impressive things with the offense, even though a lot of the fan base didn't always agree with some of his decisions. The run game often struggled to get going, but that didn't stop Smith from getting his offense to be able to stretch the field. 

NFL insider Aditi Kinkhabwala went on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday, where she claimed that executives around the league are impressed with Smith.

"I can't tell you how many times people have said to me how impressed they were by what Arthur Smith and this offensive staff were doing to squeeze every ounce out of this offense," Kinkhabwala said. "Going from what the quarterback is capable of to all of the messes with George Pickens and the distractions of that."

Despite much of the fan base often being upset with Smith, it is important to note he was able to get a lot out of an offense that didn't have much talent. Neither Russell Wilson or Justin Fields were ever playing flawless football, and there were a ton of distractions due to wide receiver George Pickens. Regardless of all these things working against Smith, he was able to field a formidable offense during most games.

It was also reported that Smith and Wilson had a rocky relationship while the two were working together, yet Smith still got his offense to produce. Pittsburgh finished the year ranked 16th in total points scored and 23rd in total yards. Neither of those figures are spectacular, but it is an improvement over recent years. Smith was working with a delicate quarterback situation, a young offensive line, and a lack of skill at wide receiver, but still got Pittsburgh to outperform recent year's production. 

Some fans were surprised to find out that Smith was already being considered for some head coaching jobs around the NFL. He interviewed with the New York Jets and Chicago Bears, but didn't get either gig. This is another example of how highly regarded Smith is around the league, even if some of the fan base has its doubts.

Steelers' Arthur Smith Gets A Bad Rap From NFL Fans

Smith was a star when he was the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. He was the brain behind one of the league's best rushing attacks, and this led to him getting a head coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons. He was fired from the Falcons after the 2023 season which is how he wound up in Pittsburgh, but he did the best with what he had in Atlanta.

Smith led the Falcons to three consecutive 7-10 seasons and failed to make the playoffs once. It is important to note that he did not have a serious quarterback once during his time with the Falcons. In his first season, he had an aging Matt Ryan, in his second season he had a mixture of Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder, and the organization then stuck with Ridder in his third season. This is not a winning formula. Fans often look down on Smith, but he was one of the most highly respected coordinators in the league.

What do you think about Smith moving forward? Let us know in the comments below!

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