The New York Jets may end up asking Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to interview for a head coaching gig, a rumor that has been floating around for the past two months. Reporter Josina Anderson wrote on Twitter Saturday afternoon: Jets are discussing internally About interviewing Smith with OC Kliff Kingsbury of Washington Commander.
As she mentioned, there is no interview schedule. The NFL regulated the interview process for employees of other teams. But there may still be an opportunity for the Jets to talk to Smith as the Steelers prepare for the postseason.
This isn’t the first time Smith has been linked to the Jets. In early December, writer Rich Cimini labeled Smith a “dark horse” candidate for the position. The Jets pursued Smith for a consulting position last offseason, but he turned it down when the Steelers offered him a full-time offensive coordinator position. Smith was also considered a “runner-up” for 2021 when Robert Saleh took the position.
While the Steelers are on the decline after three straight losses, their offense has improved. After topping the 20s in scoring from 2021 to 2023, they are currently ranked 14th and recently moved up to 10th overall. Improved quarterback play has helped, but Smith is credited with having success with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson despite all three being new to the team and the two passers having different playing styles at different points in their careers.
Quarterback development is the name of the game in the NFL. It’s no coincidence that Arthur Smith and Kliff Kingsbury are on the Jets’ radar. They will bring a mix of experience, both former coaches with offensive backgrounds. Stylistically, it’s different from Smith’s tight end-centric mentality compared to Kingsbury’s Air Raid, but he has an attractive resume across the league.
As Anderson points out, it’s unclear whether Smith is interested in the job. He broke off talks after his alma mater, North Carolina, considered him an early candidate. Instead, the job went to Bill Belichick. Smith told reporters he would be cautious about his next coaching opportunity.
New York has jumped into its head coaching search and is already interviewing Ron Rivera and Mike Vrabel. Since they are not employed by the league, Vrabel could be interviewed right now as his contract with Cleveland expired a few days ago. Former Jets head coach Rex Ryan is expected to be interviewed, and interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich is also expected to be mentioned as a candidate for permanent head coach. New York could cast one of its most extensive searches for the job, making Smith one of a large pool of names.
Still, considering their interest last year, he is a name to watch. The Jets may not be the only team interested in Smith’s services. He quickly rebuilt his reputation after being fired by the Atlanta Falcons last year.
