The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up a significant yet modest 2024 season, placing 16th in points and 23rd in total yards. This was Arthur Smith's inaugural year as the team’s offensive coordinator, and while the Steelers relied heavily on pounding the ground game—ranking 4th in rushing attempts—they lagged way behind at 29th in passing. But things are set to shift next season.
Now armed with future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and dynamic receiver DK Metcalf on the roster, Smith is prepping for a dramatic upgrade in their offensive strategy for 2025. During a Wednesday news conference, Smith humorously dismissed the idea of employing a run-heavy wishbone offense, saying, “Obviously, we didn’t bring Aaron in here and sign DK for all that money to go run the wishbone.” The comment, shared via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, set the tone for a promising offensive evolution.
Smith is laying groundwork for this transformation during the team's minicamp and upcoming training camp. “Every year will be different,” he noted, emphasizing the importance of adapting to his players’ strengths. The Steelers' future offensive success looks promising with Smith’s focus on strategy and personnel optimization.
“You evolve with who you have personnel-wise, and strategically there are things you want to evolve to,” he explained. “A lot of times that’s how rosters are made—offseason acquisitions, free agency, the draft. I’ve had a lot of different quarterbacks with a lot of different skill sets. Your job as a coach is to play to the strengths of your players. You adapt to the personnel you have.”
