The Pittsburgh Steelers have been seeing offensive production that has not seemed possible since the Killer B's era. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith has done a great job of taking two seemingly broken quarterbacks and turning them into quality starters. While Justin Fields' legs have helped to mask some of the flaws with his arm, Russell Wilson has had a career renaissance. His latest performance proved that he still has the ability to be a high-end passer in the NFL, and he likely earned himself a nice payday for 2025 and beyond.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson and Justin Fields warming up before a game.
With how well the offense has done, Smith is being talked about as a potential head coach again. He previously turned down the opportunity to coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels, but there is always the chance that he takes top dog money, as opposed to coordinator cash, Rich Cimini of ESPN believes that there is a link between him and another team.
"Another name to watch, he is kind of a dark horse candidate, Arthur Smith, currently the Steelers offensive coordinator. He was one of the runner-ups to [Robert] Saleh in 2021. He has done a great job this year with Russell Wilson. I know, I get it, he was with Atlanta for three years and Smith was the definition of mediocre. He was 7-10 in all three seasons with the Falcons, but he does have head coaching experience. He is an offensive guy and he’s an interesting name. Clearly, this ownership is familiar with him. I’m not saying he is a frontrunner, but he’s just an interesting name."
Smith's time with the Atlanta Falcons was marred with stagnation and misuse of key players. There were questions of why guys like Jonnu Smith got plenty of touches when they had three top 10 picks for offensive weapons. The main question for the New York Jets would be "has he learned from his mistakes in Atlanta or not?"
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Steelers Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith talks with Head Coach Mike Tomlin as the team practices during 2024 Organized Team Activities at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
Smith has had loads of success as a coordinator with the Steelers and the Tennessee Titans. He is still a quality offensive mind, and it also helps that the NFL as a whole seems to be less of a pass-heavy league, which perfectly fits into Smith's run-first style. There is potential there, and the Jets could go for an experienced leader to try and turn the team around in 2025.
Could Steelers Lose More Pieces If Smith Becomes Head Coach?
Obviously, coaches feel better when they are surrounded by guys that they know and feel comfortable with. Smith did that when he took the Falcons job, as a bunch of players and coaches followed him to Atlanta, including Jonnu Smith and Dean Pees. It only makes sense that he fills up certain slots of the Jets with ex-Steelers. MyCole Pruitt has followed Smith everywhere he went, which is why he is in Pittsburgh in the first place.
The Jets reportedly want to move on from Aaron Rodgers after the 2024 season. While the Steelers want to keep both Wilson and Fields around, who knows if that would actually happen? Wilson staying in Pittsburgh seems to be a lock, but Fields may end up elsewhere. If Smith gets the job, he may take the young quarterback with him.
Associated Press
Steelers' Justin Fields running with the football during camp while OC Arthur Smith gets hype.
If he can promise coordinator jobs to assistants like Tom Arth and Grady Brown, they could end up leaving too. Money talks, and coordinator money is much better than a position coach salary. It would be highly unfortunate for the Steelers to lose a chunk of flesh like that, but the NFL is a cruel business.
What do you think about Smith being a dark horse candidate for the Jets' head coaching position? If he gets the job, who would he take for his new staff? Let us know in the comments.
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