It took Steelers OC Arthur Smith a year to effect his desired changes in Atlanta. Expect to see a more Arthur Smith-style offense in Pittsburgh in 2025, Mina Kimes says, based on their offseason moves. And considering they mustered just 29 rushing yards in their playoff loss to the Ravens, that’s a big deal.
Many saw the Steelers pivoting to a pass-heavy offense after trading for DK Metcalf and pursuing Aaron Rodgers. But now that they drafted a zone-run back and traded George Pickens, what will this look like? They still have the tight ends Arthur Smith covets, and maybe even a fullback among their UDFAs.
“They could not run the ball”, Kimes recalled of Arthur Smith’s offense in the Steelers’ playoff loss. “I really think that’s a priority that they’re making about the backs. Not just with the Pickens trade, but a lot of the moves that they’ve made.
“First of all, Kaleb Johnson: great, big zone running back. Perfect fit for Arthur Smith’s offense”, she continued, reflecting on the Steelers’ offseason moves. “They’ve invested in the offensive line pretty heavily over the last two drafts. Even the receivers that they’ve brought in. Robert Woods, we know what he’s there to do: block. Roman Wilson, who they drafted, he’s a good blocker. I wouldn’t be surprised if this offense this year looks a lot more like Arthur Smith’s offense in Atlanta”.
In Arthur Smith’s first season in Atlanta, his leading rusher was Cordarrelle Patterson, which tells you all you need to know. The Falcons finished 29th in rushing attempts and 31st in yardage, 27th in touchdowns and 30th in average—just 3.7 yards. Fast forward one year and they lead the NFL in rushing attempts, placing third in yardage. They jump up to 4.9 yards per rush—with the benefit of a mobile quarterback in Marcus Mariota. While efficiency declined, they remained a top-10 rushing team in 2023. Smith then involuntarily decamped to the Steelers.
So what happened in Arthur Smith’s first season with the Steelers? Well, they certainly tried to run the ball, which is one of his hallmarks. While they ranked fourth in attempts, they finished just outside the top 10 in yards. Worse, they scored the 19th-most rushing touchdowns and ranked 25th in yards per rush at 4.1.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Or it was. Long live the new flesh (for my David Cronenberg afficionados). The Steelers swapped out Najee Harris for Kaleb Johnson, who seems an ideal match for Arthur Smith. They also hope to fully integrate their rebuilt offensive line, including 2024 first-round pick Troy Fautanu. And maybe, just maybe, guys like Robert Woods and Roman Wilson will actually throw a block.
