Steelers OC Arthur Smith named as coach under most pressure in 2024

The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator in late January. After three seasons with Matt Canada, the latter two being dreadful in almost every aspect of offense, Pittsburgh fired Canada the week of Thanksgiving in 2023. Smith was let go as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons after four years and subsequently hired by Pittsburgh.

While it’s hard to see the Steelers somehow being worse offensively, Smith is under pressure nonetheless. So much so that Cody Benjamin of CBS labeled Smith as the offensive coordinator under the most pressure, and ranked him fourth overall in non-quarterbacks under the most pressure in 2024.

“Relieved from his head position with the Atlanta Falcons, Smith certainly has better options at quarterback in Pittsburgh,” Benjamin wrote. “The savvy, newly motivated Russell Wilson and the ultra-athletic Justin Fields. Even still, his skill weapons are so-so, and a year after Kenny Pickett went to waste amid an in-season coordinator change, all eyes will be on how his play calls help — or hurt — Steel City’s playoff hopes.

The Steelers scored the fifth-fewest touchdowns and scored the fourth-fewest points per game in the NFL in 2023.