The Steelers hired Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator in hopes of putting more points on the board during the 2024 season, but his value to head coach Mike Tomlin goes beyond his acumen on that side of the ball.
Smith spent the last three years as the head coach of the Falcons and Tomlin has a history of employing assistants with that experience under their belt. Tomlin said this week that it has been “really beneficial” to have coaches like Dick LeBeau, Mike Munchak, Brian Flores and Todd Haley working with him because they notice “subtle things that might not be interesting to you all, but necessary things from a head coach perspective.”
“There’s an advantage for me. I love having the ability to bounce ideas off of people, and not necessarily things that are directly related to the team or game plan or strategy, the things that you would initially think, but more subtle things,” Tomlin said, via the team’s website. “Calendar, best practices, things that happen over the course of 12 months in an effort to search for and find a winning edge. That has proven to be very beneficial to me in the past and I’m excited about having that this time around with Arthur, and that’s something that I’ve been talking to him openly about.”
Whatever help Smith can offer Tomlin in the overall management of the team will be welcomed, but his primary job objective will remain the most important one for a team that fell short offensively too often in 2023.
Mike Tomlin was named the 16th head coach in Pittsburgh Steelers history on January 22, 2007. Hired at the age of 34, Tomlin became only the third head coach hired by the Steelers since 1969.
In his 16 seasons as head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tomlin has accomplished many things that have never been done in the team’s storied history. A franchise known for stability at the head coaching position, Tomlin ranks among the League’s longest-tenured active head coaches entering the 2023 season.
Strong blood lines: The Steelers locker room is filled with players who come from strong blood lines. This week the talk is all about T.J. and Derek Watt, who followed in the footsteps of their older brother, Texans defensive end J.J. Watt with impressive NFL careers. But it’s not just them. Terrell and Trey Edmunds, whose brother Tremaine plays for the Buffalo Bills, followed the footsteps of their father, Ferrell Edmunds, a former All-Pro tight end who played for the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks, while Devin Bush Jr. followed the path of his father, Devin Bush Sr., who was the No. 1 pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1995.
“Just in terms of the lineage aspect of it, a lot can be benefited by being around this game at this level and having those close to you have experience in that area,” said Tomlin. “I think there are less unknowns when you come from the circumstances (of those players). I think they have a better perspective of the challenges that lie ahead. I think all of that allows them to work more efficiently, be surprised less, and to be better prepared from the neck up in terms of meeting the challenges.
“Your dad’s exposure, your brother’s exposure doesn’t make plays for you, but it does educate you and hopefully raise the floor. I think it’s helpful from a knowledge, exposure and expectation standpoint.”
Mask up: Tomlin has been seen at every practice, starting back with training camp, and on the sidelines on game day, wearing a face covering. It’s something that has become second nature for him because he understands the importance of it first, to protect others during the COVID-19 pandemic, and second because it sets an example that he hopes others will follow.
“I’m just thankful to be working,” said Tomlin. “A lot aren’t able to in this pandemic. I don’t take that for granted. I just want to show a good example and show I am thankful for working. I try to be as diligent as I can.”
He said it:
Tomlin on what he has seen from Ben Roethlisberger through two games:
“I like where he is. I think there is more meat on the bone. I am excited about him continuing to knock the rust off and finding his All-Pro form.”
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