The Pittsburgh Steelers offense was atrocious under former Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada. Ahead of the 2024 season, the Steelers hired Arthur Smith to be their newest OC. Smith headed into the 2024 season in the Steel City with a lot of hopes that he could turn around this historically bad Steelers offense. After the 2024 season ended, it’s fair to say Smith made progress, but the offense still wasn’t where many Steelers fans had hoped. The Steelers chose to bring back Smith for 2025, and he actually drew a surprising amount of interest from both the college football world and the NFL as a potential head coaching candidate.
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Steelers' Arthur Smith talking with QB Russell Wilson during practice.
Despite the improvements, the jury is still out on whether Smith is the long-term answer. His offense was more physical, better on the ground, and far more structured than Canada’s chaotic system—but the passing game remained inconsistent, and explosive plays were hard to come by. While the Steelers showed signs of identity under Smith, they didn’t exactly strike fear into opposing defenses. That left many in Pittsburgh cautiously optimistic, but still skeptical, about what this offense could truly become in 2025.
NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal added to that skepticism on his NFL Daily show, where he revealed the alarming truth about how Smith is viewed around the league. According to Rosenthal, Smith isn’t nearly as respected as his reputation might suggest, and many believe he benefitted more from low expectations than actual success. While the Steelers believe they’re building something sustainable, the national narrative around Smith is far less flattering—and that should be a concern for Steelers fans expecting a true offensive turnaround.
"I do feel like there's, maybe, a dichotomy between how Arthur Smith gets talked about sometimes nationally," Rosenthal said. "He's still skating on some of those Titans offenses, which now are a little bit in the rearview mirror. What is Arthur Smith, really, in 2025? I'm getting more dubious by the year, I'll say that."
Smith, of course, earned plenty of praise for reviving Ryan Tannehill’s career with the Tennessee Titans, guiding him to two outstanding seasons as his offensive coordinator. Running back Derrick Henry became the most dominant force in the NFL under Smith’s system, and the tight ends flourished as well. That history gave Steelers fans plenty of reason to believe Smith would unlock similar production from Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and Pat Freiermuth in Pittsburgh.
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Former Titans Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith celebrates with running back Derrick Henry during a game.
Harris had another solid, above-average season, but he didn’t quite thrive the way many had hoped under Smith’s direction. Warren battled injuries throughout the year, making it difficult to truly evaluate his fit within Smith’s offense. However, with Warren now expected to be the feature back heading into 2025, Steelers fans will finally get a clearer picture of what Smith's system can do when he has a healthy and dynamic runner leading the charge.
As for Freiermuth, he was slightly more productive in 2024, but still fell short of the breakout season many envisioned when Smith was hired. Despite flashes of strong play, consistency was a problem—something that has been a theme across the entire offense. While Smith’s track record with tight ends gave hope, the connection with Freiermuth hasn’t fully clicked just yet. With another offseason to build chemistry, 2025 will be a pivotal year for both Freiermuth and Smith.
The Steelers still don’t know who will start at quarterback in 2025. Right now, the most likely scenario points to 41-year-old veteran Aaron Rodgers taking the reins, but that doesn’t make things easy for Smith. Trying to install and perfect a physical, timing-based system without any real continuity at the most important position on the field is a tall task. Still, Steelers fans won’t accept excuses.
Steelers' Arthur Smith Better Deliver In 2025
With DK Metcalf, George Pickens, and a deep backfield, expectations are sky-high regardless of who’s under center. Fans want to see Smith’s offense finally clicking—establishing a true identity, creating explosive plays, and consistently putting points on the board. Whether it’s Rodgers, or someone else throwing the football, the standard has been set.
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Steelers Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith and wide receiver George Pickens share some words with one another as the team practices at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
The 2025 season will be the most pivotal of Smith’s career. After being viewed as a possible head coaching candidate just a year ago, Smith now faces pressure to prove he can lead a top-tier offense in Pittsburgh. If things click, he may earn another shot as a head coach. If not, his future in the NFL could take a very different turn.
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