The INFORMAL JUSTICE FOR HIRING ARTHUR SMITH AS OC Introduction + Offence Scheme BREAKDOWN Discussion!

According to a team source, the Pittsburgh Steelers are selecting Arthur Smith, a former coach of the Atlanta Falcons, to be their new offensive coordinator. The Falcons sacked Smith soon after the regular season concluded in 2023, and he will find employment elsewhere.

Smith had multiple ties to the Steelers despite being an outside hire. In Tennessee, where he started his NFL coaching career, he collaborated with Mike Munchak, Ken Whisenhunt, and Mike Mularkey—all of whom had previously served as assistant coaches for the Steelers.

In addition, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stated that he desired an experienced playcaller during his season-ending news conference. Smith also ticks that box. Smith was elevated to offensive coordinator following Matt LaFleur’s departure in January 2019 to take a head coaching position with the Green Bay Packers. The Titans, led by Derrick Henry, had the 10th-best scoring offence (23.3 points per game) and the third-best rushing assault (138.9 yards per game) in the league in 2019. 2020 yielded greater outcomes. With an average of 168 yards per game, the Titans’ running offence was rated. Furthermore, they averaged the fourth-highest points (30.7), with Ryan Tannehill the man in the middle.

During the season, Tomlin removed Matt Canada, the previous offensive coordinator, assigning running backs coach Eddie Faulkner to oversee the offence during the week and quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan to call plays. Tomlin stated that neither Sullivan nor Faulkner would be given consideration for the full-time role, even though the move spurred the struggling offence.

In his three years with the team, Smith had three straight 7–10 seasons until Atlanta let him go. Prior to accepting the head coaching position with the Falcons, Smith, 41, spent two seasons as the Tennessee Titans’ offensive coordinator.

A classic Pittsburgh move

The move is a classic Steelers decision in many ways.

Including Smith, Pittsburgh has hired seven offensive coordinators since 2001. Five of those (Mularkey, Whisenhunt, Bruce Arians, Randy Fichtner and Canada) were promoted from within after holding assistant coach positions. The only external hire was Todd Haley, who had a close connection to the team because his dad spent two decades in the Steelers front office.

Smith retained play-calling responsibilities in Atlanta. Over his three seasons combined, the Falcons ranked 24th in scoring offense (19.6 points per game) and were the league’s 11th-best rushing offense over that span (124.1 yards per game). — Mike DeFabo, Steelers beat writer

Good news for Steelers RBs

Smith is going to fit right in Pittsburgh. He and Tomlin are in agreement when it comes to traditional football, particularly the advantages of the run game. During Smith’s three years in Atlanta, the Falcons ran the ball 1,474 times, which was the seventh-highest in the league during that time.

For Steelers running backs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris (as well as third-stringer Godwin Igwebuike, who spent a brief season with the Falcons last year), this is wonderful news. What that might signify for quarterbacks Mason Rudolph, Mitchell Trubisky, and Kenny Pickett is unknown. Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke were Smith’s go-to quarterbacks in Atlanta last season as he struggled to find the right one. — Josh Kendall, beat reporter for the Falcons

Smith fits Pittsburgh

In the end, Smith fulfils the requirements the Steelers had for their new offensive coordinator. It was not about bringing in someone from the Sean McVay coaching tree or searching for novel and innovative ideas. It always came down to selecting a coordinator with expertise who fit the Steelers’ desired offensive strategy and roster.

Smith’s success with Henry in Tennessee and his willingness to run the ball extensively during his three years in Atlanta fits with what Harris and Warren do best and how the Steelers want to play offense. The hire shows that the Steelers don’t think they are far away from competing for division titles and playoff runs. They think they are close. If not, they would’ve gone with a coordinator with new and fresh ideas. — Mark Kaboly, Steelers senior writer