The NFL offseason is ruthless by design. While the Pittsburgh Steelers are still alive, sharpening game plans and chasing Lombardi dreams, front offices elsewhere are already sweeping offices clean. It's that brutal reality may quietly present the cleanest solution to a persistent problem in recent years: parting ways with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith without the sting of a firing.
As Mike Tomlin and his locker room prepared for war against the Houston Texans, the league delivered a reminder that stability is never guaranteed. Black Monday created a sudden wave of firings. Arthur Smith has been here before. He served as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons before landing in Pittsburgh with the label of “offensive guru.” Among Steelers fans, that title has been used loosely at best.
For a franchise that once defined offensive efficiency and explosive sequencing, the current product has felt painfully repetitive. It’s not just an aesthetic issue — the numbers confirm it. Pittsburgh finished the regular season ranked 25th in yards per pass attempt (6.6) and 25th in passing yards per game (203.2). Big plays were rare, rhythm was inconsistent, and drives often stalled before momentum could build.
When bad performances feel normal, and average ones feel like masterpieces, something is fundamentally off.
The presence of a veteran quarterback like Aaron Rodgers complicates the evaluation. His experience, command, and situational brilliance can mask deeper schematic issues, creating a smokescreen that protects the coordinator more than it should. Rodgers’ ability to “fix” plays at the line often turned broken designs into respectable outcomes.
Arthur Smith and The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the perfect win-win scenario
But that only reinforces the concern: how functional is the offense when perfection isn’t required from the quarterback?
To be clear, Arthur Smith is not alone on the hot seat.
In today’s NFL, no coach truly is. John Harbaugh’s shocking firing earlier this week proved that reputation and past success only buy temporary security. For Pittsburgh, that reality opens a rare door. Instead of making a hard internal decision, the Steelers could benefit from an external opportunity that does the work for them.
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With as many as seven head coaching openings available, Smith may have a chance to reset his career elsewhere. A new chapter — new roster, new expectations, new timeline — could be appealing for a coach feeling the heat of an increasingly restless fanbase and a franchise hungry for offensive evolution. For the Steelers, that scenario represents the best possible outcome.
They wouldn’t have to fire Smith. They wouldn’t have to absorb the optics of instability. They could simply move forward, free to modernize their offense and align it more closely with their championship aspirations. Sometimes progress doesn’t come from force — it comes from timing.
This offseason is about taking the next step. If Arthur Smith finds greener pastures on his own, it may quietly become the most important win Pittsburgh secures before the next season even begins.