The Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to hire former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as their next offensive coordinator didn’t come as a surprise Tuesday afternoon, especially after the comments that head coach Mike Tomlin and team president Art Rooney II made regarding the search process.
Tomlin and Rooney wanted a coach with NFL play-calling experience, and one who fit the style Pittsburgh likes to play. That’s Smith to a T. Therefore, the decision to select Smith as the next OC made sense for many.
For others though, it’s a bad hire, one that just doesn’t inspire confidence. Among those in that group is former Steelers offensive lineman Willie Colon.
Appearing on The Carton Show Wednesday morning, Colon blasted the Steelers’ hiring of Smith, who reportedly got a three-year deal to become their next offensive coordinator.
“I hate it. Yeah, I’m not a fan of it. You talking about his tenure in Atlanta, man, 7-10 every year,” Colon said of Smith, according to video via The Carton Show on YouTube. “Yeah, he didn’t have a quarterback. But man, they’re really resting off of his laurels, right? He was a great OC in Tennessee. But he also had [Ryan] Tannehill, A.J. Brown and Derrick Henry. He had some horses, so that’s why the offense was so good back in 2019.”
It’s understandable to be down on Smith’s tenure in Atlanta, considering he was fired from his job and never got the Falcons to the heights offensively that he led the Titans to during his time as their offensive coordinator. It wasn’t as if the Falcons were bereft of talent offensively, either. Smith just never figured out the quarterback situation, believing he had the answers in Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke before flaming out.
But for Colon to cast some doubt on Smith’s time in Tennessee because of the talent he had seems like he hasn’t done his research. Prior to promoting Smith to OC in 2019, the Titans had the talent but lacked the ability to execute and put points on the board. That was even under current Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
After Smith took over, the Titans’ offense exploded. He helped oversee Tannehill turning his career around, throwing for 55 touchdowns in two seasons. He also saw Brown develop into one of the best receivers in football, like he is to this day, just in Philadelphia.
Oh, and Smith’s rushing attack offensively helped Henry put together two of his best rushing seasons to that point, including a 2,000-yard season that solidified Henry’s Hall of Fame resume.
This isn’t resting on Smith’s laurels in Tennessee. Yes, he had talent. But all coaches have good talent. It’s about getting the most out of that talent, something Smith did consistently in Tennessee. He’s highly regarded by some great coaching minds both currently in the NFL and in the history of the NFL.
Colon hating the hire feels like a hot take to align with groupthink. It’s a shame that’s coming from a former Steeler, but that’s how Colon is in the media today. We’ll see what Smith does in Pittsburgh. He has to learn from his time in Atlanta. Chances are good that he will. But it’s hard to lean so strongly one way or another just one day after his reported hiring.
