The Steelers have struggled to have a consistent offensive coordinator since Todd Haley wasn’t retained, and even then, he had his own issues as a playcaller. However, since then, the Steelers’ offense has only gotten worse and worse, constantly making even the simplest of things look difficult. There is hope, though, that Arthur Smith can change that, as he flourished in that same role with the Tennessee Titans, even if his time as a head coach with the Atlanta Falcons wasn’t as good. It seems that it’s this experience in the NFL that helped land Smith his job with the Steelers, at least according to Mike Tomlin.
Speaking to the media after the most recent day of minicamp, Tomlin was asked what made him interested in working with him, answering by pointing to his familiarity with Smith’s work.
”I’ve competed against him over the years, Atlanta, Tennessee. We had a lot of mutual connects from his time in Washington,” Tomlin said via the Steelers’ website. “I know what he puts into the job, professionally speaking, and he has quality tape. I’ve competed against him in stadium, so not a lot of unknowns regarding his capabilities.”
It makes sense that Tomlin would want a more known commodity in place as offensive coordinator. The team has made a lot of changes this offseason, and a younger, less experienced coach may have struggled more with that. It seems Smith is off to a great start with the Steelers though, so their decision may end up being the correct one.
Tomlin is also correct in stating that the Steelers have experience playing against Smith, as they played Smith’s Titans in 2020 and his Falcons in 2022. Both games ended in a Steelers’ victory, but neither was an easy game, as both Pittsburgh wins only came by three points. Both games also saw Smith employing a mobile quarterback, with Ryan Tannehill playing for the Titans and Marcus Mariota for the Falcons, so perhaps that also factored into Tomlin’s decision because the Steelers have been trying to run the ball more effectively.
Tomlin has experience coaching against Smith’s offense, so he knows enough about it to understand its strengths and weaknesses. He felt comfortable that Smith would be able to utilize the Steelers’ offensive weapons to the best of his ability. That was all before they made a bevy of roster moves, too, completely overhauling the quarterback room and revamping the offensive line. Those moves make the Smith hire look even better, as they complement his skills well.
Hopefully the Steelers get more of Titans Smith than Atlanta Smith, but based on their personnel, that shouldn’t be too difficult. The Steelers know they need to get back to basics and do what they’ve always done best: run the football, play great defense, and throw when necessary. With Smith at the helm, that should be more than possible.
