You wouldn't want to be a coach on a disappointing team on Black Monday. The day after the regular season ends, the firings begin. For some teams (like the Jets), coaching fires were made during the season. For a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers, they will let the postseason play out before making any rash decisions.
But a coaching move could be coming that would have most Steelers fans overjoyed.
On January 6, NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the New York Jets have requested to interview Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith for a head coaching position. The Jets fired former head coach Robert Salah during the season and are looking for a long-term solution.
The #Jets have requested to interview #Steelers OC Arthur Smith, source said, an intriguing candidate to watch there.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 6, 2025
This feels like a desperate reach from New York's front office. Though the Steelers' offense had its moments during the 2024 season, they collapsed down the stretch—averaging a dismal 14.2 points per game over their last four contests of the regular season. If prorated throughout the season, this would have ranked dead last in the NFL.
The timing of Smith's interview with the Jets is hard to make sense of, but you won't find many Steelers fans complaining.
Steelers would be better off without Arthur Smith
I don't want to be that person who blames everything on the offensive coordinator, and I refuse to do so. There is plenty of blame to pass and no shortage of fingers to point when it comes to the issues with the Steelers' offense in 2024. Having said that, I feel confident that this team is better off without Arthur Smith.
The former Falcons head coach was hired by Mike Tomlin in January 2024 to be an upgrade over Matt Canada (talk about a low bar to clear). While Smith proved better than the OC fans suffered through over the past three seasons, he wasn't even good at what many thought was his niche.
Smith's run-first mentality led fans to believe that the Steelers would possess an efficient rushing attack in 2024. They did not. Pittsburgh ranked 4th in the NFL in rushing attempts but finished tied for 20th in yards per attempt (4.1) and ranked 24th in rush EPA.
This wasn't a good trade-off to have a poor passing attack that ranked 27th in the league in yards per game and 15th in yards per attempt despite relentlessly attempting to use the run to set up the pass.
By the end of Smith's first season in Pittsburgh, the Steelers finished 16th in points per game (22.4), 23rd in yards per game (319.4), 17th in offense DVOA, and 20th in offense EPA/play. This isn't to say things couldn't get better, but year one was not an encouraging sign.
Smith signed a three-year contract with the Steelers last offseason and still has two years remaining on his deal. However, if the Jets poached the OC for a head coaching position, Pittsburgh would be free to sign whatever offensive coordinator they please—this time hopefully one who values passing schemes and utilizing the skill sets of his players.
Arthur Smith isn't guaranteed to leave the Steelers during the 2025 offseason, but fans are at least encouraged that desperate teams like the Jets are interested in poaching Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator.