The Pittsburgh Steelers are chasing after another tight end, reportedly in trade talks for Miami Dolphins’ Jonnu Smith. For a team that seems stacked at the position, it might seem strange for the offense to want to add another tight end instead of, say, a No. 2 receiver to fill George Pickens’ shows. The motivation for Pittsburgh, however, isn’t hard to figure out. There’s a clear line between Jonnu Smith and Arthur Smith.
Arthur Smith was Jonnu’s first NFL positional coach. Drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2017, Arthur Smith served as his tight ends coach in 2017 and 2018 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019. Together, Jonnu Smith had a steady and ascending career, topping out at 41 receptions, 448 yards, and eight touchdowns in their final year in 2020 before Arthur Smith became the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach.
For two years, they parted. Jonnu Smith signed with the New England Patriots for the 2021 season. His production wasn’t the same. In two years, he failed to reach 30 receptions or 300 yards with just one total touchdown.
It led to a Smith-to-Smith reunion. New England traded Jonnu Smith to Arthur Smith’s Falcons ahead of the 2023 season. In his first meeting with the media, Jonnu was thrilled to be back with his former coach.
“That guy means so much to me,” Jonnu said of Arthur in March 2023, shortly after the trade. “What he’s done and helped me to get in my career. A wonderful, wonderful human being. It’s an honor to be playing with him. Art believed in me for all of my NFL career…it’s a blessing to be able to be reunited with him. A guy that I know will take advantage of my ability and talents and help this team get to where we need to go.”
In August of the same year, Jonnu offered the Falcons’ website a similar view of his head coach.
“Arthur knows the caliber of player that I was,and the skillset that I had, and all I can do is enhance those,” he said, noting Arthur Smith was the “reason why I’m here.”
Arthur Smith has also been complimentary in return. In 2023 while in Atlanta, he praised Jonnu’s skillset.
“Gives you another weapon,” he said via Daniel Flick. “There’s so much attention on Kyle (Pitts). … We’ve got a lot of weapons. Jonnu’s made plays in big games. When you’ve got a lot of belief, pick your poison.
“He’s a great catch and run player. He’s hard to tackle.”
Arthur Smith on Jonnu Smith:
"Gives you another weapon. There's so much attention on Kyle (Pitts). … We've got a lot of weapons. Jonnu's made plays in big games. When you've got a lot of belief, pick your poison.
"He's a great catch and run player. He's hard to tackle."
— Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) September 17, 2023
After two down years, Smith immediately bounced back. He posted career highs in receptions (50) and yards (582), posting similar numbers to first-round pick Kyle Pitts. Smith was fired after the season and both men found new homes in 2024. Arthur with Pittsburgh, Jonnu in Miami.
We mentioned Smith as a potential add during the 2024 offseason but the timing wasn’t right. Now, 2025 might call for another reunion.
As we noted during our personnel grouping study earlier in the offseason, Smith brought his tight end-heavy preference to Pittsburgh. He transformed the team from one based out of 11 personnel, three-receiver sets, to one that frequently put multiple tight ends on the field. From 2023-2024, Pittsburgh increased its 13 personnel groupings, three tight end sets, by 10-percent and finished second in the NFL in usage. The team’s amount of 12 personnel increased by a similar amount.
As we also noted in our breakdown, Pittsburgh was inefficient out of 13 personnel. A success rate barely over one-third and 21st in football. If the Steelers are going to utilize it as often in 2025 as they did in 2024, they must produce better outcomes. A tight end trio of Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Jonnu Smith could achieve that. Connor Heyward may get squeezed out but after catching just six passes last year, Arthur Smith didn’t seem to have a plan for him.
Ross McCorkle also noted Smith’s progression under Arthur Smith. Each year they spent together, his numbers increased.
Jonnu Smith has spent eight years in the NFL. Five of them have been working with Arthur Smith as his TEs Coach (TEN), OC (TEN), or Head Coach (ATL).
Every year they have worked together, Jonnu Smith's yard production has increased.
157, 258, 439, 448, 582#Steelers https://t.co/imntBQJDvL
— Ross McCorkle (@Ross_McCorkle) May 29, 2025
Offensive coordinators having their “guys” is nothing new. Smith brought several of them in last year: Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, and MyCole Pruitt. Now, Jonnu Smith looks like he could be the next, hopefully with a more successful outcome.
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