Steelers OC Arthur Smith Downplays Return to Atlanta

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith doesn’t view the season opener against the Falcons on Sept. 8 as a revenge game, despite being fired as Atlanta’s head coach this past season following three consecutive 7-10 campaigns. He doesn’t hold a grudge against the organization. Things just didn’t work out.

“You should be grateful, nothing is guaranteed in this league. I’m grateful for my time in Atlanta, I love those players and staff,” Smith told Dianna Russini of The Athletic. “A lot of them are still there, we brought in there. But it’s going to be about the players. Yeah they added Kirk (Cousins) and they drafted Michael Penix. You got new schemes, different philosophies. You look at the roster now, there is a lot of familiar faces, but there’s turnover at key positions too. So once that’s kicked off our job is to win that game, it’s not going to be a reunion or anything, it’s the league, there’s a storyline almost every week, that’s what makes the league great. I’m excited, I’m excited with this group we’ve been building here.”

Steelers wide receiver/kicker returner Cordarrelle Patterson signed with the Steelers this offseason because of Smith. He is one of five players from Smith’s tenure in Atlanta, along with Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, MyCole Pruitt and Adetokunbo Ogundeji (recently signed to the practice squad) to come to Pittsburgh. So next Sunday’s game in Atlanta will also be a homecoming for several Steelers players.

Smith was heavily criticized in Atlanta for not properly using the Falcons’ three top offensive weapons — running back Bijan Robinson, tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London. Smith even had an odd four-minute rant explaining Robinson’s lack of red zone touches last season that created headlines.

Despite things not working out, Robinson has nothing but respect for Smith. Robinson told Kay Adams of Up & Adams recently that he looks forward to facing the Steelers the most this season.

“That’s gonna be awesome. And then after the game, I’m gonna go to Art [Smith] (and) say, ‘Man, I love you, man, I appreciate you,’ give a big hug, and then just keep walking,” Robinson told Adams. “Because Art, that’s still my dawg, right. I still had him all last year, that’s my dude. And I wish him big success over there. But yeah, after that game, I’m ready to get it. It’ll be fun.”

It seems like Smith’s return to Atlanta will not be super contentious, unlike Russell Wilson’s return to Denver in Week 2.