The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for their third game of the 2025 season as the team will be traveling northeast to take on the New England Patriots in Week 3. This game doesn't necessarily provide notable storylines as Pittsburgh's first two games did, as Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf both squared off against their former teams, but it does have something to pay attention. Pittsburgh's Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith, will be squaring off against his former head coach in Mike Vrabel, which is something to keep an eye on as the two have some idea of how the other operates.
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Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith (right) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Smith worked under Vrabel while the two were with the Tennessee Titans. They worked so well together that Smith eventually got hired by the Atlanta Falcons as their head coach due to his performance scheming up the offense in Tennessee. Vrabel is going to have a good idea of how Smith's offense works, which could be a disadvantage for Pittsburgh.
Former Steelers tight end MyCole Pruitt, who has played for both Smith and Vrabel separately and together, gave some insight on what that matchup might look like during an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Brian Batko.
"They definitely have a lot in common, and Vrabel knows Art's offense inside and out," Pruitt said. "When we went up there to Tennessee, we were in Atlanta, and played Vrabel. We lost on the last drive of the game. We had some things in that week for me and [Jonnu Smith] and Vrabel kind of read it like a book."
The game Pruitt is referring to took place during the 2023 season, which happened to be both Vrabel and Smith's final seasons with their respective teams before being fired as head coaches. Smith was hired as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator during the 2024 offseason, while Vrabel served in a consultant role with the Cleveland Browns in 2024. Vrabel is now back as a head coach in New England, where he used to be a player.
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Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel speaks during a press conference at Gillette Stadium in 2025.
The game between the two was won by Vrabel back in 2023 as the Titans outscored the Falcons 28-23. Smith had two different quarterbacks play in the game, so the offense clearly struggled. Atlanta was able to put together 140 yards on the ground while gaining 342 total yards from his offense. Vrabel was able to take certain things away according to Pruitt, which is something that could probably happen to Pittsburgh when the team travels to New England.
Hopefully Smith learned from Vrabel being able to see through him a bit back in 2023. He should have the proper adjustments ready, while also having some hidden tricks up his sleeve. Vrabel is a good coach, so it will be hard to win any game while playing against him, but Pittsburgh is going to be counting on Smith a lot in this one considering how poor the defense has played.
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Steelers' Arthur Smith looks on while coaching up his offense during a home game in Pittsburgh during the 2024 NFL season.
Steelers' Arthur Smith Is Learning Exactly What He Has With His Offense
Smith's offense should only continue to get better. He is absolutely learning what exactly he has on the offensive side of the ball, which will seemingly allow for more successful game planning, which essentially means putting his players in the proper positions to succeed. One player that will likely be featured more moving forward is Jaylen Warren, who was a big factor on the ground and through the air during the team's Week 2 loss. Rodgers would like to see more of Warren going forward, which was something he made clear to the media.
It would be best for the offense if Warren saw more touches, so fans should expect a bit of that as the season moves along.
What do you think about Pittsburgh matching up with Vrabel in Week 3? Let us know in the comments below!
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