Steelers' Arthur Smith Will Build Offense With Aaron Rodgers: "His Strength Without A Doubt Is His Adaptability"

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers have finally agreed to a deal for him to be the team's quarterback for the 2025 season. However, there were reports that many people in the building did not want this move to occur, including Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith. It doesn't matter whether those reports are true or not at this point, as they will have to work together in 2025. Pittsburgh is known for not firing coaches (with Matt Canada being an exception), so it's unlikely that the 41-year-old's presence will result in people losing their job like in 2024. 

While doing a livestream of the Scoop City Podcast, insider Dianna Russini spoke about how Smith usually works, and how everything between him and Rodgers will be ok. 

"I'll tell you from just my experience of covering Arthur Smith as an offensive coordinator and being around him and talking to players who know him well," Russini said. "His strength, without a doubt, is his adaptability. Arthur is not the type of coach that goes in there and says, 'This is how we're doing it.' Arthur is going to talk to Aaron Rodgers about what he is most comfortable doing, how he wants to do it, and because he knows he's going to get the best version of his quarterback."

If Smith is truly as adaptable as Russini claims he is, then he should not have too many problems working with Rodgers and having a cohesive gameplan that fits with the offense. Now that he is showing up for mandatory minicamp, the duo can start spending time together figuring out exactly what their vision for the offense is for the upcoming season. There are quite a few things to hammer out. 

Russini's conversation about Smith came to be because her co-host, Chase Daniel, spoke about how the two sides are very different. The offensive coordinator likes utilizing motions and working under center, while Rodgers just wants to sit in shotgun and survey the field like many quarterbacks from his era preferred, according to Daniel. If they can work through that, then maybe there won't be too many problems between them during the season.

Steelers Still Have To Help Rodgers Out With Receiving Core

Rodgers' top option is obvious: hit DK Metcalf on a go route on the outside. He is a great receiver that can out-run and out-jump most defensive backs. Outside of that, there are still concerns. The team still does not have an obvious candidate to be the other starting wideout opposite of Metcalf. If the Steelers want to succeed with Rodgers, they need to give him everything he needs. However, that could lead to him demanding that his friends join him in Pittsburgh.

Ever since Rodgers to Pittsburgh was first rumored, there were questions on if the Steelers would be willing to trade for Allen Lazard, who has played with Rodgers while he was with the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets. There are also a handful of players from Green Bay that the former MVP may want to throw to again. It usually takes a lot to make him happy, and bringing in at least one of those players may have to happen. 

Even with those reunions being possible, Smith and Rodgers should be able to work out how much those players will be utilized. The Steelers still want to see what they have in Roman Wilson, and Calvin Austin III is in a contract year, so he will be looking to add on to what he did in 2024. Either way, there will be plenty of conversations going on between the coach and his new signal-caller, and if Smith is truly adaptable, there shouldn't be any negative comments coming from either side as the year progresses.

What do you think about the repot of Smith being adaptable and being able to suit Rodgers' strengths as opposed to his own? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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