Steelers OC Arthur Smith Turns Down UNC Job
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has turned down the head coaching job at North Carolina.
CINCINNATI — Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has told his alma mater North Carolina not to consider him in its ongoing head coaching search, according to a report by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
That matches what Smith himself told the Pittsburgh media on Thursday, when he acknowledged that the school had reached out, but said he was focused on coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers right now.
“The reality is, they reached out on a preliminary call,” Smith said. “I love that place, but that’s not my focus. I mean, I’ve got one of the best jobs in football right now. There’s a lot to be said to you can’t put a price on personal and professional happiness, which I have here. I love that place. I appreciate it.”
Smith is in his first season as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator after spending the last three years as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He said that experience, changed his outlook on how he might attack future head coaching opportunities.
“It’s nice when someone reaches out, sure, but again, I’ve got an awesome job here,” he said. “I love it here in Pittsburgh. Probably a different mindset than I had five, four years ago. Any head job, I probably would’ve walked there to take it. Now, my perspective is different. When you’ve got something good, like I’ve got here in Pittsburgh right now, my family loves it, I like the working environment, I love being a Steeler.”
Not only that, but Smith might be in line for better opportunities than at North Carolina if he continues to successfully revamp the Steelers offense.
Smith has the Steelers at 14th in scoring entering Week 13, 18th in yards and 23rd in yards per play. Their five points-per-game increase from 2023 to 2024 is the fifth-most in the NFL, behind only Washington, Tampa Bay, Detroit and Cincinnati.
Rapoport echoed a report by Diana Russini of The Athletic last week that said to expect Smith’s name to come up in NFL head coaching searches this offseason, and not just for college jobs.
Smith has two seasons remaining on his contract with the Steelers after 2024.
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