One of the biggest questions that remains after the Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly hired Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator is what the offensive coaching staff will look like. In head coach Mike Tomlin’s end-of-year press conference, he seemed open to adding coaches to the staff to help address the offensive woes. Then there was the question of who would remain from the previous staff.
On Wednesday, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hosted his Steelers chat, and there were plenty of questions surrounding Smith’s hiring. The topic of the coaching staff came up, and Dulac had some very concise thoughts about potential changes, starting with quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan, who assumed play-calling duties last season after OC Matt Canada was fired.
“I’m told Mike Sullivan will be back as QB coach unless he gets an OC job elsewhere,” Dulac wrote. “And that’s a smart move. The QBs love Sullivan and he would be a great buffer for them while they transition to a new style of offense.”
While much has been made about Smith’s focus on the run game and how that aligns with Tomlin’s apparent offensive philosophy, there are plenty of differences between what Smith has done previously and what the Steelers looked like under Canada. Steelers Depot’s own Alex Kozora did a massive dive into Smith’s history and overarching schematic ideas, and some of his run-game concepts differ from what worked for the Steelers in 2023.
However, when it comes to the quarterbacks, one of the biggest differences will be the amount of play-action passes called. Smith has consistently utilized play-action at an above-league-average rate. In fact, his lowest ranking during his two years with the Tennessee Titans and three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons was 16th in his first season as Falcons head coach. By comparison, the Steelers were dead last in the NFL last season in play-action passes attempted.
So having a coach who already knows the quarterbacks to help navigate a big philosophical change makes sense. That is, as long as Sullivan can get along with Smith. Which poses another question: Will Smith have any authority in making changes to his staff?
“He could have input, not freedom,” Dulac wrote. “But, as of right now, there are no openings… Doesn’t mean one won’t be forthcoming, but I don’t think they are going to clear some space just to accommodate Smith, not unless Mike Tomlin has already decided to make that move. But I do believe he would’ve made it by now.”
So don’t expect major shake-ups to the offensive coaching staff so long as Sullivan is sticking around in Pittsburgh. His moving on would necessitate at least one hiring. If that occurs, according to Dulac, Smith will get to provide his thoughts, but it will be up to Tomlin who is brought in.
