NFL News: Steelers HC Mike Tomlin has found his new offensive coordinator

The Pittsburgh Steelers have secured a new offensive coordinator. Following the dismissal of Matt Canada last season, Mike Tomlin will welcome a new addition to his coaching staff for the 2024 NFL campaign.

There’s no doubt that the Steelers had a lot of problems with their offense last year. Recognizing the need for a major overhaul, they embarked on a path for massive change.

Prior to the conclusion of the season, the team’s front office made the decision to part ways with Matt Canada. Now, they have brought in Arthur Smith, the former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, to assume the vacant position.

Arthur Smith joins the Steelers to be their new offensive coordinator

Kenny Pickett will have a new offensive coordinator guiding him in 2024. According to NFL Insider Tom Pelissero, the Steelers will hire Arthur Smith to join Mike Tomlin’s staff for the upcoming season.

At the conclusion of the 2023 campaign, the Falcons and Smith went their separate ways, as the team fell short of making it to the playoffs. Atlanta experienced its third consecutive season with a 7-10 record under Smith’s leadership.

For many fans, Smith’s arrival brings a lot of doubts. The former head coach was severely judged last year for not relying on his best offensive weapons, specially RB Bijan Robinson, but this is expected to change under Tomlin’s orders.

While Smith faced several problems with the Falcons, concluding his tenure with a 21-30 record and no playoff appearances, it’s worth noting his success with the Tennessee Titans. As the offensive coordinator for the AFC South squad, he performed admirably and left a positive mark.

In his second season as the offensive coordinator, the Titans boasted the No. 3 offense in the league, ranking No. 4 in scoring. Undoubtedly, the main catalyst for this success was Derrick Henry.

It appears that the Steelers could be poised to become a team that emphasizes the running game over the passing game under Smith’s influence. Henry led the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in the two years with Smith as OC.

Who are the running backs of the Steelers?

As Smith was able to succeed with the Titans with Derrick Henry, everybody is wondering if he will be able to do the same with the Steelers. Fortunately, the future is bright for Pittsburgh regarding this matter.

Currently, Najee Harris holds the position of the team’s starting running back. Under Matt Canada’s guidance, Harris achieved over 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first three seasons. With Arthur Smith taking over as offensive coordinator, there’s an optimistic outlook that these impressive numbers could see further improvement.