If local media reports are to be believed, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith didn’t see eye-to-eye. Had former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall been in Wilson’s ear, he would’ve suggested an even greater separation. Reviewing the Steelers’ season that ended in a five-game losing streak, Wild Card loss, and utter collapse, Marshall thinks Wilson should’ve ignored Smith and done his own thing to spark the Steelers’ offense.
“This is what I would say,” Marshall said on his I Am Athlete podcast. “I would’ve love to seen Russell Wilson go rogue.”
After struggling to think of Arthur Smith’s name, referring to him as the son of the man who founded FedEx Fred Smith, Marshall expanded on what “rogue” meant.
“When he goes up-tempo, when he calls the game, that dude’s stats are crazy,” he said. “And don’t have me look them up because I already got ’em. I’m loaded. That’s how I’d hold him accountable. We ain’t got time to play with these people. Legacy is on the line, careers are on the line. This dude got you in three tight end packages. I want to see Russ throw a…” Marshall said
As Marshall finished his thought, the video made a clear edit, suggesting his words were censored and removed. He made a motion mimicking throwing a helmet, perhaps suggesting Wilson should express his frustration with Smith’s run-heavy system.
True to form, Smith brought his brand of football to Pittsburgh. An emphasis on running the football from multiple tight end sets, doubling the amount of 12 and 13 personnel the Steelers ran in 2023. Pittsburgh finished the year fourth in rushing attempts despite lacking the efficiency of other ground-game squads. Wilson had some freedom in the offense, frequently “canning” and checking to other plays, but perhaps he didn’t have the flexibility he did during his long tenure in Seattle.
Brandon Marshall defended Wilson’s struggles down the stretch, becoming more turnover prone and taking costly sacks.
“They lose the last four games. Pickens went down. His guy who opened the whole offense, he went [down].”
Pickens missed Weeks 14-16 with a hamstring injury. Over that span, still threw for five touchdowns and one interception but the Steelers lost two of those games and averaged just 19 points per game. When Pickens returned, the offense didn’t get any better.
Now, the Steelers will have to decide which quarterback they want to return in 2025 assuming they want either to re-sign. If it’s Wilson, his relationship with Smith will need to be on solid ground. Meaning Marshall’s advice of ignoring his offensive coordinator should in itself be ignored.
