The search is over. Mike Tomlin has his new offensive coordinator.
The Steelers are expected to hire former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as the team's new offensive coordinator, according to multiple national reports. The team has yet to officially announce the hire, and the length of the contract is not yet known. However, the Steelers typically give coordinators three-year contracts.
Smith, 41, is coming off three straight 7-10 seasons in Atlanta, and was subsequently fired at the conclusion of the 2023 season. Among Smith's biggest criticisms was his handling of first-round skill position players such as Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson. However, Smith had much more success as offensive coordinator of the Titans in 2019-2020.
Smith's two-year stint as offensive coordinator in Tennessee went very well, especially for Derrick Henry, who led the league in rushing in both seasons and won Offensive Player of the Year in 2020 with an astounding 2,027 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. With Smith running the offense, the Titans didn't just run the ball successfully, they also ranked 10th in scoring in 2019 and ranked fourth in scoring in 2020.
Prior to his two years as offensive coordinator, Smith coached in various roles for eight seasons in the Titans organization. Smith doesn't stem from the popular Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay coaching trees. However, before he became a head coach, Smith served as an assistant under several experienced head coaches, including Joe Gibbs, Jim Zorn, Mike Munchak, Ken Whisenhunt, Mike Mularkey and Mike Vrabel.
There are rumors about Munchak's desire to return to coaching. Given the ties to Tomlin and Smith, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Steelers explore a reunion. Munchak previously had great success coaching the Steelers' offensive line in 2014-18. Munchak hasn't coached since 2021.
Smith deploys a run-heavy system, and also helped Ryan Tannehill break out after six years in the league into a Pro Bowl quarterback. Tannehill won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award in 2019, then followed that performance with another productive season in 2020, completing 65.5% of his passes for 3,819 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
The Steelers formally interviewed three candidates for the offensive coordinator position, with Smith as the third a final interview. They also interviewed Panthers' offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and Texans' quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson.
At the outset of the search, Tomlin was clear that NFL experience as an offensive coordinator and play-caller were preferred for the job. In his meeting with a handful of reporters, Art Rooney II reiterated those preferences, as well as the ability to "work with this roster and be successful with it." Smith checks the boxes of having experience, and that experience has come with success as an offensive coordinator. The Steelers are also currently built as a run-first offense, as Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren both eclipsed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 2023.
Of course, a critical component of this hire will be how Smith gets the most out of Kenny Pickett. The Steelers are still very much committed to their first-round pick of the 2022 draft. Smith had success with Tannehill, but failed to repeat that success in Atlanta with Marcus Mariota, Taylor Heinicke or 2022 third-round pick Desmond Ridder.
Here's much more in my deep dive of Smith's fit with the Steelers.
