Arthur Smith was appointed offensive coordinator by the Pittsburgh Steelers for two primary reasons.
He was the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans from 2019 to 2020 and the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2021 to 2023 for the first reason—playcalling experience. According to Art Rooney II, Smith’s hiring was determined primarily by his experience.
The Steelers’ desire to advance their running game is the second explanation. They have one of the strongest one-two punches in the league in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, but over the last five seasons, their running game has not produced enough overall yards or touchdowns. In terms of yards and touchdowns, they were 29th in 2019 and 30th in 2020; in terms of yards and touchdowns in 2021, they were 29th and 30th in 2021; in terms of yards and touchdowns in 2022, they were 16th and 14th; in terms of yards and touchdowns in 2023, they were 13th and 12th.
Swith, who has a track record of leading one of the greatest rushing units over the previous five seasons with the Titans and Falcons, is entrusted with enhancing the rushing attack. Third in yards and third in touchdowns in 2019, Second in yards and second in touchdowns in 2020, Thirteenth in yards and twenty-seventh in touchdowns in 2021, Third in yards and tenth in touchdowns in 2022, and Ninth in yards and fifteenth in touchdowns in 2023 were his rushing offense rankings.
Running backs aren’t the only players who need to succeed in the running game; tight ends and the offensive line can also be key players. The Steelers signed a tight end with experience in Smith’s playbook because they recognized the value of having a dependable player who can run-block.
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