What the Steelers offensive coordinator job offers Arthur Smith

What Smith said makes sense when you look at his job as presently constructed. 

Smith, whom the Steelers hired Feb. 2, about a month after his firing as Atlanta Falcons HC, is taking over an offense that sat near the bottom of the NFL last season. 

In 2023, the Steelers averaged only 304.3 yards and 17.9 points per game. To put those averages in perspective, the Miami Dolphins led both categories with 401.3 yards and 29.2 points per game. 

If Smith makes the offense explosive and more modern, he is bound to receive a large share of the credit. He also has a roster that fits his scheme and has the potential to achieve more success than Pittsburgh has experienced in years. 

Despite making the playoffs, Pittsburgh made significant changes that extended well beyond hiring a new OC. 

In the offseason, the Steelers traded QB Kenny Pickett only two seasons after drafting him in the first round, allowed backup QBs Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky to find new teams in free agency and dealt former No. 1 wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Panthers. 

But for Smith, there's plenty of room to grow with this roster because he has an upgraded quarterback group.

Russell Wilson is an accomplished veteran with a lot to prove and Justin Fields is a talented option with plenty of upside. Smith may not have known all these changes would occur when he took the job, but the quarterback situation alone offers signs for optimism. 

Smith is often characterized as a coach who likes to rely on the ground game to set up the pass. And even though the Falcons' offensive struggles were evident in his 21-30 overall record as a head coach, those teams had problems that would have hampered any coach.   

In Smith's offense, the Steelers should make more big plays in 2024. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren fit the mold of running backs Smith likes to rely on, and both should take their games to another level in a system that caters to their skills. There could also be an even higher ceiling for a wide receiver George Pickens if opponents must respect the run. 

There's one other factor that makes this job such a home run for Smith: stability. 

As Smith knows, when a head coach is fired, his staff is also shown the door. In Pittsburgh, however, that's not something Smith must worry about.

A day before Smith's comments, the Steelers signed Tomlin — who's entering his 18th season and is the NFL's longest-tenured coach — to a three-year contract extension. Tomlin will remain Steelers HC as long as he wants, giving Smith ample opportunity to turn the offense around.   

And, of course, success with the Steelers could make Smith an attractive candidate when other teams have head-coaching openings. 

So, as the new OC said, his decision to sign with Pittsburgh was a "no-brainer."