Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has gotten interview requests from a couple of teams in this coaching cycle, but he told reporters this week he’s keeping his focus where it needs to be.
Smith, who joined Pittsburgh for the 2024 season after being fired as Atlanta’s head coach, praised the league for trying to slow down the interview process. But he also noted that because he’s been through the interview gauntlet before, he has a better handle on it now.
“[I]t can become a distraction if you let it,” Smith said in his Wednesday press conference. “I think, first off, you’re extremely humbled because there’s so many great candidates out there. There’s guys coaching in small college ball that may never get a shot, but it’s nice, I guess, that somebody wants to talk to you. But, at the end of the day, the league has tried to slow it down, which is a good thing, because you’re sitting here, you’ve got one shot, you don’t know how many opportunities you’re going to get to get in the playoffs and have a chance to go win it all. And you can’t cheat the game, you owe that to the players. You owe it to the organization. And I think having done it before, it’s a lot easier just to push it away.
“I think the first time, as much as you try to compartmentalize, it’s all around you. So, there’s a completely different feel, like I said. I mean, I’ll get to that when it’s the appropriate time, but I cannot waste time and cheat the game and cheat the players. And in this organization, our focus has got to be on Baltimore.”
Smith won’t be available for a virtual interview until after Pittsburgh’s game against Baltimore on Saturday night.
“[T]hat’s a good thing by the league trying to slow it down, because it does,” Smith said. “You can’t fault somebody for wanting a job, but that attention doesn’t need to be on me, or my concern doesn’t need to be on that, my concern needs to be on this job. And that’s all that matters.”
The Steelers finished the 2024 season No. 16 in points scored and No. 23 in total yards. Smith compiled a 21-30 record with three 7-10 seasons with the Falcons from 2021-2023.
