It’s pretty common for NFL coaches and coordinators to bring players they’ve coached to new stops in the league. That’s exactly what happened with new Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. One such player the Steelers signed this offseason was WR Scotty Miller.
Miller played under Smith for one year with the Atlanta Falcons and caught 11 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns on 16 targets. While those may not have been stellar numbers, Smith obviously thought highly enough of Miller to convince the Steelers to bring him in for 2024. And the feeling is mutual.
“I really enjoyed my time with him,” Miller said on Tuesday’s episode of the Green Light Podcast. “He was the head coach, but he was also running the show on offense last year. I think Arthur does a great job. I love his mentality, the way he comes to work every day. I think he fits in great with the Steelers culture that Coach [Mike] Tomlin lays down. Arthur’s super creative with his offense and the run game and play-action. So it’s gonna be fun.”
That sounds like a far cry both from some people’s reaction to Smith’s hiring and from former Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada. The Steelers could certainly use some creativity on offense. It felt like the Steelers were one of the most predictable teams in the NFL under Canada.
So getting an infusion of creativity is huge for the Steelers. And to get a coordinator whose players seem to enjoy playing for him is big, too. Miller isn’t the only player Smith coached who has signed for Pittsburgh this season. KR Cordarrelle Patterson, TE MyCole Pruitt, and WR Van Jefferson all played under Smith in Atlanta before signing with the Steelers.
That’s a group of players who seem to think very highly of the new Steelers offensive coordinator. Patterson himself has spoken about his relationship with Smith and how he’s glad to be playing for him for another season.
Miller will have an opportunity to carve out a role in a crowded Steelers wide receiver room. Despite the number of options, George Pickens is the only truly proven receiver on the depth chart. Perhaps Miller will be able to use his knowledge and relationship with Smith to get a leg up on the competition to secure more targets this season. Either way, he’s looking forward to playing for Smith again.
