{"id":20024,"date":"2024-12-01T14:39:11","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T14:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=20024"},"modified":"2024-12-01T14:39:11","modified_gmt":"2024-12-01T14:39:11","slug":"steelers-oc-arthur-smith-not-interested-in-north-carolina-hc-job-expected-to-receive-nfl-hc-interest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=20024","title":{"rendered":"Steelers OC Arthur Smith Not Interested In North Carolina HC Job, Expected To Receive NFL HC Interest"},"content":{"rendered":"
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North Carolina recently fired head coach Mack Brown, and the school\u2019s process of finding his replacement is underway. Steelers offensive coordinator\u00a0Arthur Smith\u00a0<\/strong>received a call about the vacant position. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cReality is [UNC] reached out on [a] preliminary call,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Smith said (via ESPN\u2019s Brooke Pryor<\/a>).\u00a0\u201cI appreciate it, love that place. But that\u2019s not my focus. I mean I\u2019ve got one of the best jobs in football right now. There\u2019s a lot to be said too about [how you] can\u2019t put a price on personal and professional happiness, which I have here.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Smith spent his college career at UNC as a player (2001-05) and worked as a graduate assistant there to begin his coaching tenure. His experience leading a staff at the NFL level \u2013 with the Falcons between 2021 and \u201923 \u2013 coupled with his connections to the school make him a logical candidate to replace Brown. As Smith noted, however, his focus is not currently on taking whatever head coaching gig presents itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got an awesome job here,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>the 42-year-old added.\u00a0\u201c[I] probably [have] a different mindset than I had five, four years ago where any head job, I probably would\u2019ve walked there to take it. Now my perspective\u2019s different, and when you got something good like I got here in Pittsburgh right now, family loves it here. I like the working environment, love being a Steeler.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

In a rare move given their organizational history, the Steelers made an in-season offensive coordinator change last year with Matt Canada\u00a0<\/strong>being dismissed. Smith was brought in as his full-time replacement after drawing interest from the Jets. New York\u2019s offer came with an uncertain role working alongside then-OC\u00a0Nathaniel Hackett<\/strong>, though, and his preference was to take the Steelers gig<\/a>. So far, that position has included time with both Justin Fields<\/a> <\/strong>and Russell Wilson<\/a> <\/strong>at quarterback.<\/p>\n

Once Wilson recovered from his calf injury, he took over QB1 duties. That move has not led to a major uptick in passing efficiency of red zone success, but Pittsburgh leads the league in time of possession. The team also has the eighth-ranked rushing attack, something which comes as no surprise given Smith\u2019s background and his success in that regard during his Titans OC stint.<\/p>\n

Smith\u2019s future beyond the current season is of course in the air given the opportunities which may present themselves to him during the winter. Indeed, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com<\/a> hears that Smith is likely to receive consideration for NFL head coaching opportunities during the upcoming cycle as a result of the winning efforts he has been able to coax out of Wilson.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n