Arthur Smith and Russell Wilson Have Formed a Close Bond
PITTSBURGH – The long hours that Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and quarterback Russell Wilson put in together have paid off so far. The Steelers are 3-0 under Wilson and the offense has been humming. Wilson has completed 58.8% of his passes for 737 yards, six touchdowns, one interception, and a 105.9 quarterback rating. The Steelers are also averaging 30.3 points per game in three games under Wilson.
The daily communication between Arthur Smith and Russell Wilson contributed to the game-winning Mike Williams touchdown over the Washington Commanders on Sunday. The Steelers had to work on the fly with Calvin Austin III suffering an injury. Wilson told Williams to just run a go route. It was a play that they’ve never practiced with each other before, but it ended up being the game-winner.
“A lot of that is communication and how you practice during the week. And a lot of that is with Russ,” Smith said on Thursday. “That’s why it’s so important the daily communication and the time that Russ and I spend. It’s why [Ryan] Tannehill and I got so close. We spend so many hours. Sometimes my wife FaceTimes me to make sure I’m not somewhere on the South Side. I’m really in my office. There’s Russ here on Friday night talking through those situational things. Red zone, what I call ‘got to have it.’ That’s all planning and putting on the call sheet.”
Wilson said his wife Ciara gives the same kind of FaceTime calls on Friday night’s.
“C’s like man, how much longer? … Ciara and Allison, they both know how much we love this game,” Wilson said. “We always say to them, you guys like touchdowns, right? We’re just trying to find the next touchdown.”
The narrative out of Denver that Russell Wilson was hard to work with has been unfounded in Pittsburgh.
“Every player I’ve had is unique, especially at that spot. … It’s a good relationship,” Smith said of Wilson’s coachability. “Sometimes you’ve got to agree to disagree. I like to debate. … He’s been phenomenal in that regard.”
Williams caught one of Wilson’s vintage moon ball over his shoulder for the 32-yard game-winning touchdown. Since becoming the starter in Week 7, Wilson ranks 3rd among QBs in CPOE (+12.1%) and EPA (+27.2) over 10 air yards, according to Next Gen Stats.
“That’s his strength. It’s like if you had a pitcher who throw a 100 mile-an-hour fastball. That’s his fastball,” Smith said of Wilson’s moon ball.
It turns out that Smith and Wilson go way back. Smith revealed on Thursday that when he was a graduate assistant at UNC, Wilson came in for a visit and they didn’t offer him even though he lit it up at UNC’s camp.
“I knew a lot about him and then watching him at the Senior Bowl,” Smith said of Wilson. “Saw him at NC State, Wisconsin. So I’ve seen it a lot. And then I’ve been on the other sideline playing Seattle and seen it. Unique ability. It’s cool to see him get it going again and be on our team.”
Smith joked that Wilson not going to NC State instead of UNC created an NFL opportunity for T.J. Yates.
“Russ not going to UNC and a couple other events led to TJ Yates being an NFL player. I used to joke with TJ about that,” Smith said. ‘I think TJ Yates was a late add. When Butch Davis took over, TJ had a pretty good run and made a career … and now he’s coaching.”
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
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