Steelers OC Arthur Smith Excited to Have Aaron Rodgers at QB: ‘It’s Gonna Be a Fun Journey’
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith thinks the sky’s the limit for the offense with future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers under center. Quite simply, the four-time NFL MVP is one of the best to ever do it.
“I’ve gotten to know Aaron outside of football the last couple of years. You talk about one of the all-time great quarterbacks and the things he accomplished in this league,” Smith said. “I’ve really enjoyed obviously getting to know him as a player-coach relationship with the football stuff.
“Just really excited to have him here. It’s gonna be a fun journey. I know we’re a couple days in, but he’s been awesome.”
Smith is well-known for his run-first mentality and usage of multiple tight ends, but he made it clear that it won’t be a three yards and a cloud of dust type of offense.
“We didn’t bring Aaron in here and sign DK for all that money to go run the wishbone,” he said.
Rodgers and Smith have reportedly already developed a strong working relationship as they look to tailor the team’s offensive scheme around Rodgers’ skill set.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the two have been in “constant communication” throughout the offseason, working to “reconfigure the offense” and “find a sweet spot where Rodgers can still do all the things he likes to do at the line of scrimmage, while staying true to the system.”
While Rodgers and Smith may differ in both style and philosophy, there’s reason to believe the two can find common ground. Smith previously worked under Matt LaFleur in Tennessee when LaFleur served as the Titans’ offensive coordinator and Smith was the tight ends coach. Just one year later, LaFleur became the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, where he spent multiple seasons calling plays for Rodgers in a system rooted in similar wide zone principles.
Alan Saunders and Brendan Howe provided reporting from Pittsburgh.