It hasn’t been perfect with Arthur Smith by any means, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are miles ahead of their offenses from the last several seasons. Smith is a huge improvement over Matt Canada and Randy Fichtner before him. It would be a shame to lose that after just one season with rumors of him being a candidate in this head coach hiring cycle.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, it’s more likely that he ends up a candidate following the 2025 season, not this upcoming hiring cycle in just a couple months from now.
“The Steelers’ success has nudged offensive coordinator Arthur Smith back onto some radar screens in terms of getting a second chance at a head coaching opportunity. My sense is it’s more likely he gets back into the cycle after next season than this one, but Smith has been able to do what Sean Payton (and Nathaniel Hackett before him) couldn’t do in Denver: Get Russell Wilson to buy in and play within the structure of the offense,” Graziano wrote via ESPN. “He also was making it work with Justin Fields while Wilson was injured…Don’t be surprised if some team makes a call to request an interview.”
Smith said after the recent UNC head coach inquiry that he isn’t in the same position that he was just a few years ago when he would have jumped at any head coach opportunity. Already having failed after just a three-year stint with the Atlanta Falcons, it’s in Smith’s best interest to make sure he takes the right head coaching opportunity the next time around. Head coaches that fizzle out twice so quickly have a hard time finding a third opportunity.
Beyond his offensive mind as a play caller, he also appears to have the intangible leadership qualities that are well suited for a head coaching job. Mike Tomlin said he enjoys working with Smith because he loves football and they are like-minded in a lot of ways.
Several players have also talked about Smith in a positive way this season, and it seems like he did a great job transforming the culture of the offense, including reports that he had tough conversations with Russell Wilson to make sure they were on the same page on what’s expected from him.
The Steelers find themselves in the top 10 for scoring offense with just four weeks to go in the regular season. Their total offense is lagging behind a little bit at 17th overall, but it’s in a much better place than years prior and it’s made the Steelers a legitimate contender in the eyes of many.
It would be great to get at least one more season with him, and it seems probable that will be the case. He told the media that him and his family love being in Pittsburgh. Staying under Tomlin for another year will only help him, especially if the team can put together sustained success for a couple seasons. Short of some unforunate injuries, the Steelers’ arrow seems to be pointing up at the moment, albeit with an aging core of players.
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