The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing Arthur Smith to be their offensive coordinator, per NFL Network source Tom Pelissero.
Throughout his three seasons as the Falcons’ coach, Smith amassed a 21-30 record. On January 8, popularly referred to as Black Monday, the team dismissed him after losing to the New Orleans Saints 48-17 to conclude the season. Following a touchdown late in the game that compounded hurt to injury, Smith angrily attacked Saints coach Dennis Allen after the game.
Smith has experience with offence; prior to moving to Atlanta, he was the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, where he enjoyed success.
But Smith faced a lot of backlash during his tenure with the Falcons for making some dubious choices, chief among them being the underutilization of important skill players like tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson.
Conversely, the Steelers, who fired Matt Canada in the middle of the season, are searching for a new offensive coordinator. After Canada was fired, the offence got better, but the team is still searching for a long-term replacement.
Smith will come back to Atlanta sometime in 2024 because the Falcons will play the Steelers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium the following season.
