Since the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season ended, multiple reports have painted a rocky relationship between offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and quarterback Russell Wilson. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac offered detail over what those issues were. Per Dulac, the issues stem from Smith preventing Wilson from changing plays at the line of scrimmage, wanting him to stick to the script of running the football.
“According to several sources, Smith did not want Wilson changing plays at the line of scrimmage, like he did in Cincinnati, and deviating from the game plan. Wilson’s desire to attack with the pass and throw down the field clashed with Smith’s run-first mentality, causing philosophical friction between the two.”
Dulac’s article repeatedly cites the contrast in the Steelers’ two games against the Cincinnati Bengals. Wilson and the Steelers’ offense flourished in their Week 12 44-38 win in which Wilson threw for 414 yards and three touchdowns. As we noted, the offense routinely checked out of plays against the Bengals’ five-down defensive fronts designed to stop the run, throwing the ball with success.
Of the six times Cincinnati showed it, Pittsburgh threw the ball five occasions, gaining 74 yards and four first downs. Their only rushing attempt came on the goal line.
It was a different story in the Week 18 rematch. Pittsburgh came out with a run-heavy game plan and didn’t adjust, facing a brick wall it couldn’t bust through. The Steelers managed just 3.2 yards per carry as they repeatedly kept the ball on the ground on first down, limiting Wilson’s impact. He finished the game 17-of-31 for 148 yards and a touchdown, ending with a terrible two-minute drill that prevented K Chris Boswell from attempting a game-winning field goal. The Steelers lost 19-17.
The Steelers had similar issues in a Week 15 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles, unable to get their ground game going as they attempted to run into the teeth of the Eagles’ five-down front. After the game, RB Najee Harris noted the team couldn’t find success against that look, bottled up in a game where the offense had just two second-half possessions.
While appearing on The Pat McAfee Show last month, Russell Wilson downplayed friction between him and Arthur Smith.
“I like Arthur. I think everybody trusts him. Anytime you lose the game or two, or whatever goes on, people always try to tear things down. I think Arthur’s just a great coach,” Wilson said on Jan. 22. “I think, obviously, he’s been a head coach, and we love trying to find ways to compete every day and just get better. And so, you know, he’s a great coach.”
Whatever issues they’ve had hasn’t prevented Wilson from expressing a desire to return to Pittsburgh. He repeated that mindset over the weekend at the Pro Bowl Games, pivoting to staying with the Steelers when asked about the possibility of reuniting with Pete Carroll in Las Vegas.
Dulac notes there is a “sentiment” inside the organization to bring back Wilson given the upside he showed with the offense before the team’s final five games. But other reports, including some from Dulac, indicated the team was more likely to re-sign QB Justin Fields instead, banking on his traits, athleticism, and cheaper contract as the best path forward.
