Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith isn’t focused on his future, just yet.
Just hours after news broke that the Tennessee Titans requested to interview him for their head coaching vacancy, Smith made his current focus known during a press conference with Pittsburgh media at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side.
“That’s not something I’m going to focus on,” Smith said, according to Jose Negron from DK Pittsburgh Sports. “The only thing that matters is my current job. Like I tell people all the time, ‘I live in the present.’ … All my focus is on our guys, these guys … All I care about is the Steelers and our players.”
The Steelers, who earned their spot in the AFC playoffs with a dramatic win over the Baltimore Ravens on January 4, are set to play January 12 against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium (8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN/ABC) in the Wild Card round. So, Smith is fully focused on preparing for one of the best defenses in the NFL.
Arthur Smith’s Coaching History Before the Pittsburgh Steelers
Given Smith’s history as an NFL head coach — he went 21-30 during three years with the Atlanta Falcons — it’s understandable that Smith might garner interest for one of the eight current head coach openings around the league.
The Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, along with the Ravens and Titans, are all looking for their next head coach. Smith has coached for two of the eight teams.
Smith was hired by the Titans in 2011 as a defensive quality control coach and worked in several different roles before being named the offensive coordinator in 2019. During his two seasons in that role, Smith’s rushing offense, which was headlined by running back Derrick Henry, was one of the best in the league. It garnered a top-three ranking both years in rushing yards, touchdowns, and yards per attempt.
Henry led the NFL in rushing yards, attempts, and touchdowns during both of his seasons under Smith. He was also named the Associated Press’ Offensive Player of the Year and earned his only All-Pro honor in 2020.
Smith’s passing offense was a different story during those two seasons, ranking 21st and 23rd in passing yards, respectively. However, it was ranked eighth in passing touchdowns during both seasons.
Since 2020, Smith hasn’t created the same type of offensive prowess. He never made the playoffs with the Falcons, and his offenses — both with the Falcons and the Steelers — have never been ranked above 15th in points or 17th in yards.
Who Else Are the Titans Interested In?
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Titans have cast a wide net to replace Brian Callahan, who was fired six games into the 2025 season.
Earlier this week, Russini reported that the Titans had interviews scheduled this week with Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, and former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. They’d also requested an interview with Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
Wednesday: Colts DC Lou Anarumo Thursday: Chiefs OC Matt Nagy Saturday: Ex-Browns HC Kevin Stefanski
Thursday morning, Russini reported that the Titans had requested interviews with Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, and Smith.
The Titans went 4-19 in 23 games under Callahan and finished this year 3-14 with rookie quarterback Cam Ward at the helm of the offense.
Steelers’ Arthur Smith Delivers Message on HC Opportunity