The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a solid start to the 2025 NFL Regular Season. Despite a Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football, the Steelers sit atop the AFC North with a 4-2 record, and the production from their offense has brought excitement to the Steel City. With the acquisition of four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh's offense has looked the best it has in nearly a decade, and a big part in that has been the connection between Rogers and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith.
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Steelers Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith looks down at his play sheet while players work out during 2025 rookie minicamp at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
Pittsburgh hired Smith to be their offensive coordinator prior to the 2024 season. Although Smith had an up-and-down first season in Pittsburgh with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, things have looked pretty good during year two. With the success that Rodgers and Smith have had in 2025 so far, Smith has once again become a popular candidate to become a head coach in the league, and one of his former teams now has an opening, the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans fired their head coach Brian Callahan following their Week 6 loss against the Las Vegas Raiders. Callahan led the Titans to a 4-19 record in a year and a half at the helm, and the Titans will soon begin the search to find his replacement.
Smith spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons with the Titans, and in those two years Tennessee had one of the best offenses in the league. Smith's success in Nashville played a big part in him becoming the head coach for the Atlanta Falcons in 2021. Smith only lasted three seasons in Atlanta as things just didn't work out, but he has once again returned to form as the Steelers' play-caller.
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Steelers Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith walks along the sidelines as the team participates in a 2024 preseason game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
With Callahan gone, Smith has quickly become the favorite become the Titan's next head coach, and reasonably so. However, one NFL insider doesn't believe that Smith to Tennessee is such a guarantee. Aditi Kinkhabwala made a guest appearance on the PM Team with Poni & Mueller earlier this week, and she says not so fast on the assumption that Smith is heading back to Tennessee, due in part to the current state of the Titans organization and Smith's close connection with former Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel.
"Arthur Smith is very obviously close to Mike Vrabel. Mike Vrabel very obviously has some thoughts about leadership in Tennessee. The setup currently with the President and the GM [for the Titans] is not necessarily the most stable,' said Kinkhabwala. "Arthur Smith already had one job in Atlanta where maybe he and the general manager weren't necessarily in total lockstep. I don't think that Arthur Smith is so desperate as to jump to the next job that is available, and I think if Mike Vrabel is guiding him to exercise some caution to think about what leadership is there, Arthur Smith is smart enough to look at what the front office is right there."
Vrabel was fired by the Titans following the 2023 season, a move that not many fans expected just two years after Vrabel was named NFL Coach of the Year. Smith and Vrabel have a very close connection as they both were in Tennessee at the same time, and although Smith might be the best option for the Titans, it might not be the best option for Smith.
"I don't think that this is a slam dunk," Kinkhabwala said. "I think the Titans if they're smart should absolutely want to talk to Arthur Smith but I think Arthur Smith is smart enough to assess the situation, and is not desperate enough to just cease whatever comes his way."
Steelers fans would be happy to keep Smith in Pittsburgh, especially with the success that he and Rodgers have achieved early in the 2025 season. The two seem to have a great connection, and Smith's play-calling style seems to fit Rodgers' play style. if Rodgers decides to return to Pittsburgh in 2026, it could have an impact on Smith's next move.
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Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith (right) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith Could Still Leave For Head Coaching Job
Even though Smith leaving Pittsburgh for Tennessee might not be a guarantee, it doesn't mean that is absolutely will not happen, and it also doesn't mean that Smith will definitely stay in the Steel City. Smith is going to be a top candidate for any vacant head coach position in the NFL, and possibly even at the college level. Smith announced last November that he had been contacted by North Carolina in regards to their head coach position. Smith declined and that position was later filled by former New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick.
Smith will most certainly have options to leave Pittsburgh once the offseason arrives, and it will ultimately be his decision to continue working with Mike Tomlin and company, or to give head coaching another shot.
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