The Pittsburgh Steelers’ hiring of Arthur Smith has met largely lukewarm reception as the conclusion to their offensive coordinator search. Not everybody feels that way, however. CBS Sports analyst Ryan Wilson recently changed his tune after inquiring to people around the league about the Steelers’ hire.
“I was talking to some folks in Mobile about Arthur Smith because I was at first a little apprehensive, and they said this is a great hire”, he told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on 93.7 The Fan this week. “They liked the idea of Arthur Smith coming in and doing the things he did at Tennessee. Some guys aren’t head coach material. Dick LeBeau was a much better coordinator than head coach, and maybe that’s the path for Arthur Smith”.
The 41-year-old veteran coach has spent the past five seasons running offenses. He served as offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans in 2019-20. As Atlanta Falcons head coach from 2021-23, he retained play-calling responsibilities. Prior to his first coordinator hire, he spent nearly all of his time in the Titans organization as position coach.
While his Titans offenses were very prolific, he posted three consecutive losing seasons in Atlanta. The Falcons opted to fire him this offseason, despite some indications they intended to retain him. He ultimately only interviewed with Pittsburgh, the Steelers reportedly dissuading him from pursuing other opportunities. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were reportedly among the teams with which he had interviews scheduled.
Smith’s chief criticism from his time in Atlanta seems to be the level of production he got out of his star players. Despite investing early first-round picks on skill-position players, many believe he did not maximize their potential.
The same cannot be said for his time as Titans offensive coordinator. He coached RB Derrick Henry to a 2,000-yard rushing season. WR A.J. Brown was very successful under him, and QB Ryan Tannehill never looked better.
That those with whom Wilson spoke cited his time in Atlanta is no coincidence. And perhaps it’s true that Smith isn’t quite cut out to be a head coach, at least at this point. That doesn’t mean he can’t succeed in Pittsburgh in his current role.
Of course, the biggest hurdle he inherits is the quarterback position. His projected starter spent the final two games of the season as a backup. Kenny Pickett has a winning record as a starter, but his statistical output doesn’t exactly suggest a franchise quarterback.
He does have some raw materials at hand. The running back duo of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren should benefit from his presence. He should also get the most out of Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington at tight end as blockers. If he can manage to keep Diontae Johnson and George Pickens content, they can have a competent offense.
At this point in time, Pickett is not guaranteed a starting job. We will have to see what the Steelers do over the course of the offseason, which may include re-signing Mason Rudolph. Presumably, Smith’s say will carry some weight in that decision. He reportedly factored into their recent hirings.
