Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is making the head coach interview rounds, completing one with the Chicago Bears on Wednesday.
Smith, who joined the Steelers ahead of the 2024 season, is also scheduled to meet with the New York Jets on Thursday.
Smith spent three seasons (2021-2023) as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He deserves a second shot in the position, out under the thumb of Mike Tomlin.
Pittsburgh’s offense was anything but impactful in 2024, and some of the blame falls on Smith. Despite having promising talent, the unit consistently failed to deliver, ranking near the bottom in critical metrics like third-down conversions and red-zone efficiency.
Smith’s play-calling often lacked creativity, leading to predictable schemes that defenses exploited. Quarterback development stagnated, and the run game never found consistent footing. Steelers Nation is rightfully frustrated, as the offensive struggles overshadowed a defense capable of playoff-caliber performances.
Inevitably, Smith won’t be in Pittsburgh next season. Art Rooney II, Omar Khan and Tomlin need to nail the hire for Smith’s replacement. It’s critical that they give whoever that winds up being full autonomy over his unit. As head coach, Tomlin should have input but not control, of the Steelers’ offense.
We have completed an interview with head coach candidate Arthur Smith. pic.twitter.com/iTfcnvR0uw
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 15, 2025
