Even though the Pittsburgh Steelers made several big changes to their offense last year, that unit still wasn’t good enough in 2024. Arthur Smith wasn’t awful, but he still had issues. Quarterback was clearly still their biggest weakness. Neither Justin Fields nor Russell Wilson looked like the answer going forward. However, that wasn’t their only issue. Former Steelers corner Patrick Peterson believes the team needs to overhaul their offensive philosophy.
“I feel like Pittsburgh needs to shake up the offensive style a little bit,” Peterson said recently on All Facts No Brakes with Keyshawn Johnson. “The way they’re calling plays, it’s still in the ’90s. Now, you want to be a little bit more innovative.
“I won’t necessarily say trick plays, but have a little bit more spice in your offense. A little bit more eye candy, having some motions, having some shifts, and things like that to be able to get your playmakers involved in the game.”
Peterson isn’t the first person to have this criticism. For years, it’s felt like the Steelers have wanted to play a style of football that struggles to win in today’s NFL. Last offseason supported that theory. Hiring Smith as their offensive coordinator clearly indicated that they wanted to be a run-first team.
There’s nothing wrong with being dedicated to running the football. The Philadelphia Eagles just won a Super Bowl, and Saquon Barkley was their best player in the regular season. Derrick Henry elevated the Baltimore Ravens, making them look like a serious contender.
However, those types of running backs don’t grow on trees. They’re some of the most talented players in the league. Also, both those teams have strong passing attacks, led by creative offensive gameplans that maximize the players’ talents. The Steelers have had problems with that since before Smith joined the team. It was much worse with Matt Canada, but it still wasn’t great with Smith.
Another issue is that the Steelers lack playmakers on offense. George Pickens looks like a star, but there isn’t another obvious answer outside of him. While Calvin Austin III made plays, he wasn’t a true number two receiver. Pat Freiermuth is likely their second-best option in the passing game, but even he’s limited.
The Steelers made it clear they want their offense to be defined by its physicality. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, if their run game isn’t working, they can’t just fall to pieces. That was part of the appeal with Wilson. His deep ball gave the Steelers’ offense an explosive element they desperately needed. Unfortunately, he wasn’t consistent enough in other phases of the game.
Maybe the Steelers don’t need to totally change their offensive identity. However, they shouldn’t be afraid to make some tweaks. They can be successful as a run-first team. That just can’t be all that they are. Perhaps more stable quarterback play could help with that, but finding that is easier said than done. Until then, they might need to be more creative to field a better offense.
