According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Arthur Smith, the former coach of the Atlanta Falcons, will reportedly interview on Sunday for the position of offensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Throughout his three seasons as the Falcons’ coach, Smith amassed a 21-30 record. On January 8, also referred to as Black Monday, the team fired him after losing to the New Orleans Saints 48-17 to end the season. Following a touchdown late in the game that compounded injury to injury, Smith angrily attacked Saints coach Dennis Allen after the game.
Smith has experience with offense; 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 offense got better, but the team is still searching for a long-term replacement. In addition to Smith, Jerrod Johnson, the quarterbacks coach for the Houston Texans, and Thomas Brown, the former offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, are also contenders for the position. Zac was reportedly of interest to Pittsburgh as well Robinson, but Atlanta hired him on Saturday night.
Related: Arthur Smith back in Falcons after fire? Because the Falcons will play the Steelers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium next season, Smith will return to Atlanta soon.