Arthur Smith already contradicting Mike Tomlin?
Have we already got a disagreement?
The Football Feed
The news that was being reported this week has now become official - the Pittsburgh Steelers have hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator, and the new full-time replacement for Matt Canada, who was fired during the 2023 regular season.
Of course, the question that many Steelers fans have on their minds is what will the quarterback competition for next season be like, with Kenny Pickett as the starter with the likes of Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph behind him; there has also been speculation that the Steelers could potentially target a veteran like Ryan Tannehill.
And while Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had stated that there will be competition at the quarterback position, Smith seemed to contradict the statement.
“It’s exciting to hear the way that this offense is built with a lot of young players and obviously, where Kenny Pickett is at going into his third year,” Smith said in an interview with Missi Matthews of Steelers.com. “Playing with a young quarterback — being efficient, being able to get the ball out and making the smart decisions, getting the ball in the playmakers’ hands and taking care of the football."
"A lot of things that come up, the responsibility of playing quarterback in the National Football League, there’s pressure situations. They happen all game. Having command of those situations and ultimately putting the ball in the end zone, whether that’s through the air, handing it off or running it in, there’s a lot on him. There’s a natural evolution that happens with the quarterback.”
He continued:
“There’s a relationship that’s got to be built between me and Kenny,” Smith said. “And that’s so paramount between the playcaller and the quarterback. The quarterback is obviously the one out there between the white lines, and there’s a trust that’s going to be built daily, and it goes both ways. I’ve got to earn Kenny’s trust and vice versa as we build this offense and all the things we want to work on, and we want him to work on and take command of this offense.”
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