Pros and Cons of Detroit Lions Hiring Arthur Smith as OC

Examining whether Lions should target Smith as next offensive coordinator.

Sep 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (left) and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith (right) talk on the field before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions’ search for their next offensive coordinator will inevitably include candidates with head-coaching experience, and Arthur Smith fits that bill. 

Smith has a long resume that includes orchestrating one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses in Tennessee, a three-year run as the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach and a recent stint as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator. 

As with most experienced coaches, however, hiring Smith would come with a combination of appealing pros and legitimate concerns.

Smith’s strongest selling point is his ability to build a competitive offense around the personnel he has at his disposal. 

His best work came with the Tennessee Titans, where he transformed a unit that ranked near the bottom of the league into an offensive power. 

By leaning into running back Derrick Henry’s skill set and pairing it with an effective play-action passing game, Smith produced a top-five offense and helped quarterback Ryan Tannehill post the most efficient seasons of his career. 

That adaptability would appeal to Lions head coach Dan Campbell, who values physicality and tailoring schemes to players’ strengths.

That same philosophy could translate well in Detroit. 

Smith’s offenses are built on running the football, dominating the line of scrimmage and creating opportunities off play-action – all areas that mesh well with Jared Goff’s strengths. 

Goff has typically excelled when protected by a strong offensive line and supported by a credible run game, both staples of Smith’s approach as a play-caller. 

With Detroit’s emphasis on dominance inside the trenches, Smith’s background coaching offensive linemen and tight ends could further enhance the Lions’ identity as a physical, gritty team.

Additionally, in Pittsburgh, he inherited an offense that had been among the league’s worst in both scoring and efficiency. 

Despite working with aging quarterbacks (Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers) and limited perimeter weapons, Smith helped lift the Steelers into the middle of the pack. His units finished 15th and 16th in scoring, respectively, the past two seasons.

There’s also this: Smith’s Steelers had their way with Detroit defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard’s unit in late December. Pittsburgh’s backs accumulated 230 yards and two touchdowns on just 27 carries en route to a 29-24 victory at Ford Field.  

Smith would be far from a home run hire for the Lions, though.

While Smith’s resume includes notable successes, his recent history raises red flags. 

His three-year tenure as head coach in Atlanta was defined by mediocrity, producing three consecutive 7–10 seasons and very little semblance of consistency offensively. 

More concerning was his failure to get the most out of top-end talent like Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson. Even while equipped with the aforementioned playmakers, Atlanta’s offense rarely looked dynamic or explosive, resulting in constant criticism of Smith’s scheming and play-calling. 

Those concerns followed him to Pittsburgh. 

Although the offense improved overall, Smith again struggled to consistently feature his most dangerous playmakers. Wide receivers, like George Pickens and DK Metcalf, experienced inconsistent production, and the passing game often felt overly conservative with Wilson and Rodgers under center. 

For a Lions team that relies heavily on its skill-position stars to create mismatches, that tendency could be problematic.

Predictability has been another issue with Smith’s play-calling. 

His offenses have been much maligned for relying too heavily on tendency-based play-calling, making it easier for defenses to adjust for what’s coming their way. 

In an era where innovation and adaptability are increasingly essential, that predictability could limit Detroit’s ability to thrive offensively, particularly against the NFL's most stout defenses. 

If I were Detroit, I would not give Smith serious consideration for the offensive coordinator job. The Lions could do much better (i.e. Mike McDaniel, Mike Kafka, Zac Robinson, etc.), and should steer clear of the former Falcons head man.