Steelers offensive explosion could end up being a double-edged sword for their future
There's good and bad in having a former NFL HC as a part of your coaching staff. The good is, you have one of the brightest minds in the sport as a coordinator or a position coach. The bad is, should that coordinator or coach do a good job, he could be in line for […]
There's good and bad in having a former NFL HC as a part of your coaching staff.
The good is, you have one of the brightest minds in the sport as a coordinator or a position coach.
The bad is, should that coordinator or coach do a good job, he could be in line for a promotion with another team come the offseason.
That's the scenario that offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and the Pittsburgh Steelers might find themselves in:
Arthur Smith Generating College, NFL, HC interest
"I think the number one thing for them, is they're gonna need an offensive coach I think that can really sit there and teach and mold Caleb Williams over the years, that can develop [him]," said NFL on Fox insider Jay Glazer regarding the Chicago Bears HC vacancy on the networks pregame show. "So you look at some of the guys out there like Arthur Smith, what he's doing in Pittsburgh right now."
Glazer's report came before the Steelers offensive explosion against the Cincinnati Bengals, a game where the Steelers recorded over 500 yards of total offense and over 40 points for the first time since 2018.
Beyond that, the team is officially among the top 10 scoring offenses in the league following Sunday's win over the Bengals, averaging just under 25 points per game in what is a far cry from the struggles of the last half-decade.
So Smith should be generating candidacy interests, and it's the second time in less than a week that he has been linked to a head coaching vacancy, with the first one coming from his Alma Mater:
"I appreciate it, love that place. But that's not my focus," Smith told reporters last Thursday about the North Carolina Tar Heels reaching out to him. "I've got one of the best jobs in football right now. There's a lot to be said too about (how you) can't put a price on personal and professional happiness, which I have here."
Smith makes a great case, and his perspective is one that we have seen modeled in recent years by Detriot Lions OC Ben Johnson, who has stayed with the Lions despite numerous opptutunties to become a head coach.
And unlike Johnson, Smith has been there and done that with the Atlanta Falcons, meaning he has firsthand experience on just how much culture, fit and ownership go into being a successful HC.
So, will Smith stay on as OC for another year, or will he jump back into the head coaching waters should the right opportunity present itself?
We'll find out soon enough.
