The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of a major coaching shuffle, and the dominoes are already falling. Just hours after news broke that Mike McCarthy would be joining the Steelers’ staff-presumably in a high-ranking role, possibly even with play-calling duties-offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has reportedly agreed to a deal with Ohio State, returning to the college ranks for the first time in over a decade.
Arthur Smith’s Return to College Football
Smith’s move to Ohio State marks a significant shift-not just for him, but for both programs involved. For the Buckeyes, this is a high-profile hire.
Smith brings with him years of NFL experience, including a head coaching stint in Atlanta and coordinator roles in Tennessee and Pittsburgh. For Smith, it’s a chance to reset and rebuild his coaching trajectory at one of the most storied programs in college football.
It’s been a long time since Smith last roamed a college sideline. His only two seasons in the college game came back in 2006 and 2010, first as a graduate assistant at North Carolina and later as a defensive intern at Ole Miss.
Since then, he’s built his résumé in the NFL, climbing from positional coach to play-caller to head coach. His new role at Ohio State might not carry the same pressure as leading an NFL franchise, but make no mistake-this is a major opportunity.
Ohio State is a perennial title contender, and Smith now steps into a role that could define the next chapter of his career.
What This Means for the Steelers
Smith’s exit leaves a vacancy in Pittsburgh’s offensive brain trust, just as McCarthy steps in. McCarthy, of course, is no stranger to calling plays.
He did it for years in Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers and more recently in Dallas. But at 62, he’s part of an older generation of coaches in a league that’s increasingly leaning toward younger, more innovative minds on offense.
That puts the Steelers at a crossroads. They could hand McCarthy the playbook and let him run the show, banking on his experience and familiarity with high-stakes football. Or they could use this as a chance to bring in a fresh offensive perspective-someone who can modernize a unit that’s struggled to find consistency in recent years.
A Quarterback Question Still Looms
And then there’s the quarterback situation. Aaron Rodgers’ future remains one of the biggest question marks in Pittsburgh.
He hasn’t committed to playing another season, and if he does return, it’s unclear whether he’d want to stay with the Steelers now that Mike Tomlin is gone. Rodgers was vocal about his admiration for Tomlin when he chose Pittsburgh in 2025.
With Tomlin out and McCarthy in-his former head coach in Green Bay-there’s speculation about whether that reunion could extend onto the field.
But for now, that’s all it is: speculation. Rodgers hasn’t tipped his hand, and the Steelers are moving forward with or without him.
The Road Ahead
One thing is clear: Pittsburgh’s offseason is already full of intrigue. With Arthur Smith heading to Columbus and Mike McCarthy stepping into a major role, the Steelers are undergoing a philosophical shift on offense.
Whether that leads to a resurgence or more of the same remains to be seen. But in a city where expectations never dip, the pressure is already mounting.
Meanwhile, Ohio State just added a coach with NFL pedigree to its staff-one who’s got something to prove and a big stage to do it on.