It’s only Week 7 of the NFL season, and there’s already been one head coach fired. The Tennessee Titans decided they had seen enough of Brian Callahan just six games into his second season. That means the Titans will be making some calls to assistants across the league — and the Pittsburgh Steelers could be atop their list.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini recently released her early list of candidates for the Titans job, and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was one of the four names mentioned.
This would actually make a lot of sense, as Smith spent a significant portion of his coaching career with the Titans. Beginning in 2011, he worked his way up from a defensive quality control coach to offensive coordinator in 2019. He held that position for just two seasons, helping Tennessee reach the playoffs both years, including an AFC Championship appearance in 2019.
Then, the Atlanta Falcons came calling, naming Smith their next head coach after firing Dan Quinn. However, Smith’s time in Atlanta was far from memorable.
Arthur Smith’s First Head Coaching Stint With Falcons Was a Failure
Hired in 2021, Smith was tasked with rebuilding a Falcons franchise that hadn’t made the playoffs in three years. Unfortunately, that drought continued under his watch. He produced three consecutive 7-10 seasons, finishing with a 21-30 record overall.
After being touted as one of the NFL’s next great offensive minds, Smith never managed to elevate Atlanta’s offense — in large part due to instability at quarterback. He had just one season with veteran Matt Ryan before Ryan was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. After that, the Falcons relied on backups such as Taylor Heinicke, Marcus Mariota and 2022 third-round pick Desmond Ridder.
In his three years in Atlanta, the Falcons ranked no higher than 15th in total offense and 18th in scoring. They also finished as low as 26th and 29th, respectively, during that span.
Arthur Smith Joins Pittsburgh Steelers After Falcons Firing
It didn’t take long for Smith to land his next job — this time as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator in 2024. Once again, he faced an uphill climb, inheriting another uncertain quarterback situation. Pittsburgh was still searching for its true successor to Ben Roethlisberger.
With an aging Russell Wilson under center, the Steelers managed to claw their way back to the postseason with a 10-7 record. However, they were eliminated in the wild-card round by the AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens.
In 2024, the Steelers ranked 16th in total offense (319.4 yards per game), 27th in passing, 11th in rushing and 16th in scoring (22.6 points per game).
Now in his second season with Pittsburgh — and with Aaron Rodgers leading the offense — the Steelers are 4-2 after a Week 7 upset loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Through six games, they rank 26th in total offense (297.5 yards per game), 17th in passing, 26th in rushing and 11th in scoring (25 points per game).
There’s still plenty of football left to play, but it’s clear Rodgers needs more weapons if Pittsburgh hopes to reclaim the AFC North title this season. Either that, or Smith will have to get creative with his play-calling.
Whatever the case, Smith’s deep familiarity with the Titans organization ensures he’ll be one of the first names on owner Amy Adams Strunk’s list as Tennessee begins its coaching search.
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