Arthur Smith Departing NFL For Ohio State OC Job

In the wake of the news of Mike McCarthy‘s agreement to become the next head coach of the Steelers, Pittsburgh’s incumbent offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has some plans of his own. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Smith is expected to be named the next offensive coordinator at Ohio State.

This marks a departure not only from Pittsburgh – as could be expected – but the NFL coaching ranks altogether. Smith received a head coaching interview request from the Cardinals as part of their ongoing search. He also spoke with the Titans before Robert Saleh was hired. Even in the absence of a second NFL HC opportunity, Smith loomed as an offensive coordinator candidate elsewhere in the league.

The 43-year-old interviewed with the Chargers and Titans for their respective OC vacancies. Tennessee’s remains open at this time, but instead of a potential return Smith will now spend at least one season at the college level. He is the latest veteran coach to join Ryan Day‘s Buckeyes staff.

Diana Russini of The Athletic notes Smith had been in contact with the Titans but also the Eagles. Philadelphia moved on from Kevin Patullo after the team’s wild-card loss in a decision which came as no surprise. The team does not have a replacement in place at this time, and Smith had not previously been linked to Philadelphia’s OC gig or any other positions under Nick Sirianni.

After a lengthy run on the Titans’ staff in a number of roles, Smith was promoted to offensive coordinator. He held that position for two years and parlayed his time leading Tennessee’s offense into a head coaching opportunity. Smith guided the Falcons for three seasons, posting a 7-10 record each year. Upon being fired, he immediately landed another OC gig by joining Mike Tomlin and the Steelers in 2024.

Pittsburgh posted similar numbers on offense this season with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback as the team did with a combination of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields under center. Once Tomlin stepped aside, the door was opened to widespread staff changes during this year’s hiring cycle. Smith’s departure confirms the Steelers will be among the teams hiring a new offensive coordinator in the near future. He handled play-calling duties during his Pittsburgh tenure, but it would come as no surprise if McCarthy did so upon arrival.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Titans Speak With Steelers’ Arthur Smith About OC Position

With new head coach Robert Saleh working to assemble his staff in Tennessee, the Titans could turn to a familiar face at offensive coordinator. They’ve spoken with Steelers OC and former Titans assistant Arthur Smith about the position, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

Smith, 43, was among the coaches the Titans interviewed for their HC job, but he did not rank among their finalists. The Titans ultimately chose Saleh out of a group that also included Matt Nagy and Jeff Hafley. After Hafley agreed to become the Dolphins’ head coach on Monday evening, the Titans hired Saleh several hours later.

Saleh is now on the lookout for an experienced O-coordinator to work with quarterback Cam Ward, and Smith fits the bill. The Memphis-born Smith, who worked in various roles with the Titans from 2011-20, is a two-time NFL offensive coordinator (with the Titans from 2019-20 and the Steelers since 2024). He had a three-year run as the Falcons’ head coach from 2021-23 between his OC stints.

Smith struggled to a 21-30 record in Atlanta, which hired him after he impressed as an assistant under Mike Vrabel in Tennessee. The Titans’ offense was top 10 in scoring in back-to-back seasons under Smith, who guided the unit to a fourth-place ranking in that category and a second-place position in yards in 2020. QB Ryan Tannehill enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, while running back Derrick Henry eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark on the ground, and wide receivers A.J. Brown and Corey Davis posted solid production.

After the Falcons fired him, Smith resurfaced on Mike Tomlin‘s staff in Pittsburgh. While he’s still a Steelers employee, Smith’s future is uncertain after Tomlin’s resignation. It seems likely he’ll end up elsewhere in 2026. Regardless, it’s fair to say the Steelers have produced middling-at-best results under Smith. With Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as their signal-callers in 2024, the Steelers finished 16th in scoring and 23rd in total offense. They were a similar 15th and 25th, respectively, in those categories with Aaron Rodgers under center this season.

The Steelers haven’t surrounded their QBs with great supporting casts over the past couple of years, and that’s even more true in the Titans’ case. Ward, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, took a league-high 55 sacks as a rookie. Between the struggles of the Titans’ O-line, instability on the sidelines, and a lack of weapons in the passing game (none of the team’s pass catchers reached the 600-yard mark), Ward unsurprisingly endured a difficult rookie year as part of a 3-14 campaign.

Nick Holz, whom Saleh will not retain, acted as a non-play-calling OC for the Titans in 2025. QBs coach Bo Hardegree called the plays, but either Smith or another outside candidate is expected to take on that role next season.

Titans Seeking Experienced OC

Almost every head coaching candidate the Titans spoke to had experience in the position at the NFL level. Robert Saleh‘s staff will unsurprisingly target a veteran play-caller on offense as well.

So far, the Titans have been connected to former head coaches Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll with respect to their offensive coordinator position. Daboll’s top OC destination appears to be Tennessee, although he is also interested in returning to the Bills as their head coach. The list of Titans targets is set to expand shortly.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Tennessee’s options include former Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Packers OC Adam Stenavich and Dolphins pass-game coordinator Bobby Slowik. Each have them has been a coordinator at the pro level before, and all but Stenavich have called plays during at least one NFL stint.

Kingsbury has conducted multiple head coaching interviews recently, and he was among the staffers linked to Tennessee in that regard. The former Cardinals HC also met with the Ravens about their offensive coordinator position. Without a hire taking place on either front, Kingsbury remains on the market at this point. His NFL stints have included time overseeing the development of quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Jayden Daniels, and working closely with Cam Ward during his second year and beyond will be a top priority for any OC hire.

Smith also met with the Titans early in their head coaching search. The 43-year-old was then linked to OC vacancies in Detroit and Los Angeles. The Lions and Chargers (provided Mike McDaniel does not land a head coaching position) have filled them, however. Smith thus looms as another offensive coordinator option with experience not only as a play-caller but as a head coach as well.

Slowik, 39, followed DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco to Houston in 2023. During his two seasons as the Texans’ offensive coordinator, Slowik’s unit ranked 13th and then 19th in scoring. He received an interview request from the Eagles, but one could also be coming shortly from the Titans. Stenavich has been with the Packers since Matt LaFleur‘s arrival in 2019. For the past four seasons, he has operated as Green Bay’s offensive coordinator (albeit without calling plays).

The Titans ranked 30th in total and scoring offense in 2025. Improving on the team’s showing under former head coach Brian Callahan and interim replacement Mike McCoy will be a major priority for next season, and a veteran OC will likely be leaned on to lead the way.

Details On Titans’ Robert Saleh Hire

Although a report on Monday pegged Matt Nagy as the frontunner for the Titans’ head coaching position, the team instead hired Robert Saleh several hours later. Nagy and Saleh joined then-Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as the Titans’ finalists, according to insider Jordan Schultz, who reveals the team never seriously considered Mike McCarthy despite interviewing him

Tennessee lost one of its finalists when the Dolphins hired Hafley as their head coach on Monday evening. Saleh, meanwhile, entered his Monday interview with the Titans needing to “win the job,” Albert Breer of SI.com writes.

In successfully landing the role, the former 49ers defensive coordinator secured a five-year contract, per Schultz. Because Saleh’s second stint in San Francisco only lasted one year, the 49ers will not receive draft compensation for losing him, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes.

Saleh’s summit with the Titans included a three-hour meeting with general manager Mike Borgonzi, president of football operations Chad Brinker, and several other members of their front office, Breer relays. Borgonzi made the recommendation to hire Saleh after his successful pitch to team brass.

Saleh impressed the group with a “detailed plan” on working with quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft. That included ideas on putting together the right offensive staff to maximize Ward’s potential. Saleh’s looking for a “CEO-type” offensive coordinator, Schultz says.

We already know Saleh’s offensive staff will not include Mike McDaniel, who developed a strong bond with Saleh when they coached together in San Francisco from 2017-20. Although Saleh had been in contact with McDaniel (via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN), the latter is on the cusp of becoming the Chargers’ offensive coordinator.

Given Ward’s importance to the organization, the Titans wanted all of their head coaching candidates to present a plan for Ward, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. With Saleh now in charge and McDaniel about to come off the board, former Giants head coach Brian Daboll is reportedly in the mix to take over as Ward’s next offensive coordinator.

The Titans interviewed Daboll for their head coaching job, but he may wind up taking on a key role as an assistant with the team. However, Daboll has another suitor in the Eagles, who are interested in him for their O-coordinator opening. He’s also a potential candidate for Buffalo’s head coaching job, which became available when the team unexpectedly fired Sean McDermott on Monday. Daboll spent 2018-21 as the Bills’ OC and aided in developing Josh Allen into an elite signal-caller. In bringing in Daboll to help Ward, the Titans would hope for similar results.

If Daboll doesn’t join Saleh’s staff, Breer identifies former Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Rams OC Mike LaFleur and Steelers OC Arthur Smith as other possibilities.

Kingsbury helped guide 2024 second overall pick Jayden Daniels to stellar results as a rookie, but multiple injuries largely prevented the dual-threat QB from building on that success this season. After Daniels played in just seven games in 2025, Kingsbury and the Commanders parted ways. Kingsbury has since drawn the attention of teams looking for head coaches and offensive coordinators.

LaFleur also worked with Saleh in San Francisco, though Breer is skeptical he’ll leave Los Angeles this offseason. Interestingly, LaFleur’s brother, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, played a role in the Titans’ decision to hire Saleh. After the Jets fired him as their head coach in October 2024, Saleh ended the season on LaFleur’s staff as an offensive consultant. LaFleur, one of Saleh’s closest friends, provided the Titans helpful feedback during their search.

Smith, a Nashville native, also interviewed for the Titans’ HC gig. Previously a Titans assistant from 2011-20, Smith held the OC role in his last two years with the organization before a three-season run as the Falcons’ head coach. While Smith is still on Pittsburgh’s staff, Mike Tomlin‘s resignation casts doubt on his future with the team.

Saleh will spend the coming weeks assembling his staff, a group he hopes will help produce better results than he generated in New York. The Jets canned Saleh after he posted an unsightly 20-36 record over three-plus seasons. While Saleh didn’t call the defensive plays with the Jets, that will change in his new home, which helps give the Titans confidence the 46-year-old will capitalize on his second chance as a head coach.

Saleh’s “energy and presence” helped win over owner Amy Adams Strunk, whose previous head coaching hire, Brian Callahan, contributed to the franchise’s recent slide. Now stuck in a four-year playoff drought, the Titans have gone a woeful 19-49 since 2022.

2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 1-28-26 (11:15pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

Chargers Request Interview Arthur Smith For OC Job; Davis Webb On Radar

The Chargers submitted an interview request for Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Smith, 43, has been in Pittsburgh for the last two years. The team has informed all of the assistant coaches on Mike Tomlin‘s staff that they are free to pursue opportunities elsewhere, leaving no obstacle between Smith and a lateral move to another offensive coordinator job.

The Chargers are the fourth team to express interest in hiring Smith in recent weeks. The Cardinals and the Titans have already interviewed Smith for their head coaching vacancies, and the Lions put in a request to interview him for their offensive coordinator gig.

Smith came up as an offensive assistant in Tennessee and took over as their offensive coordinator in 2019. He parlayed two successful seasons into a head coaching job with the Falcons, but his offenses in Atlanta and Pittsburgh never ranked higher than 15th in points or yards. Smith’s lack of consistent quarterback play is a mitigating factor, but he still got a high level of play out of Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee. Smith could not do much with Marcus Mariota or Desmond Ridder in Atlanta and struggled to find consistency with Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. Justin Herbert would be the best quarterback with whom Smith has worked by far, but he will have to make his case for his ability to elevate the star quarterback and the Chargers offense in general.

The Chargers are also keeping Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb on their radar, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The fast-rising coach interviewed for the Ravens’ and Raiders’ head coaching jobs and could garner interest from other teams as a potential offensive coordinator.

Webb is facing a seemingly gargantuan task this week getting Jarrett Stidham ready for the AFC Championship Game against a Patriots defense that savaged C.J. Stroud in the divisional round. Even a semi-successful game from Stidham would speak volumes about Webb’s coaching ability and could raise his profile as a candidate for other jobs around the league.

Lions To Conduct Zac Robinson OC Interview; Team Requests Arthur Smith Meeting

The Lions‘ search for a new offensive coordinator continues to expand. Current Falcons OC Zac Robinson is the latest candidate to line up an interview.

Robinson will speak with Detroit today about the position, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That makes two teams interested in his case. The Buccaneers have already interviewed Robinson for their OC opening. With a Todd Monken reunion seemingly unlikely, Tampa Bay could show continued interest in his case.

The Falcons in the process of finding a new head coach and general manager. Once Raheem Morris‘ replacement is in place, several new staffers will no doubt be brought in. Knowing a change of scenery is likely, Robinson is exploring his options on the coaching market. A Lions agreement would make plenty of sense in his case.

From 2019-23, Robinson worked on the Rams’ staff. That time included a pair of seasons working alongside quarterback Jared GoffA Detroit hire would thus pave the way for a reunion between Robinson and Goff with the Lions looking to rebound from a poor showing during John Morton‘s one-and-done campaign in the offensive coordinator role.

Detroit is also among the teams interested in Arthur Smith. An interview request has been submitted for the Steelers OC, Rapoport reports. Smith has been connected to multiple head coaching openings, but a lateral move to a new coordinator gig could be in store as well. Pittsburgh will have a new head coach relatively soon, so considerable movement elsewhere on the staff is likely.

Smith’s tenure as head coach of the Falcons produced three straight 7-10 seasons, but it was preceded by a Titans OC gig which boosted his stock. For the past two seasons, the 43-year-old has called plays for the Steelers. Pittsburgh has finished 16th and 15th in scoring during Smith’s time with the team. Stronger production would be expected in the case of the Lions, a team which flourished under Ben Johnson and is looking to duplicate his level of success.

Detroit has previously been linked to Jake Peetz and Tee Martin as OC candidates. The Lions have also set up interviews with former head coaches in the form of Mike McDaniel and Mike Kafka. Robinson’s meeting will add to the list of targets, and it will be interesting to see if Smith pursues an interview amongst head coaching interest.

Steelers’ Art Rooney II Addresses Situation Post-Tomlin

In the aftermath of head coach Mike Tomlin‘s departure from Pittsburgh, Steelers owner/president Art Rooney II made some things clear from the team’s perspective. One such item made clear, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was that Tomlin was not in danger of losing his job before he stepped down. Rooney expressed that he was willing “to take another run at it” with Tomlin next season, which he had expected to discuss with the long-time head coach before his resignation.

Despite his desire to run it back with Tomlin in 2026, Rooney asserted that he made no attempts to talk Tomlin out of his decision. “I did not,” Rooney said in response to the question, according to Mark Maske of The Washington Post. “He was pretty clear about what his intentions were…We had a great conversation, and I understand where he was.”

Mike DeFabo of The Athletic added on that part of the reason Rooney declined to push back on Tomlin’s decision was because it was, as the owner framed it to the media, a “family-driven” exit. Tomlin’s decision not to coach in the near future had already been reported, but DeFabo’s wording stated that “Tomlin does not plan on coaching again anytime soon.”

Moving forward, Rooney and general manager Omar Khan will reportedly be leading the search for Tomlin’s replacement, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. The pair ruled out a number of candidates fairly quickly as Rooney told the media that he didn’t “expect anyone on the current staff” to be a candidate to step into the open head coaching role, per DeFabo. Realistically, this would only apply to offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, and we can probably just narrow it down to Smith since he’s been rumored as a candidate in New York, requested to interview with the Cardinals, and interviewed with the Titans.

Another aspect of the future affected by Tomlin’s exit, in the eyes of Rooney, is the team’s quarterback position. After Aaron Rodgers led the team to the playoffs in his first year with the team, there was some speculation that the 42-year-old passer would be running it back as Pittsburgh’s quarterback for the 2026 season. The other option the veteran is reportedly considering is one in which he hangs up his cleats for good. As Rooney puts it (via Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated), “Aaron came here to play for Mike, so I think it’ll most likely affect his decision.”

Even if his starting quarterback departs along with his head coach, though, it doesn’t appear as if Rooney is expecting to blow things up further. He’s looking to carry on Tomlin’s moniker of “the standard is the standard” and expecting the next head coach and quarterback to pick up where Tomlin and Rodgers left off. When asked if the team could enter a “rebuild” phase, he pushed back on that notion, saying he didn’t “like that word” and that he couldn’t understand why anyone would “waste a year of your life not trying to contend,” per Pryor.

Instead, Rooney and Khan will hit the ground running to try and find Tomlin’s replacement while righting the ship in a direction that hopefully leads to the franchise’s first playoff win in 10 years.

Cards Request Arthur Smith HC Meeting

Not closely connected to John Harbaugh, the Cardinals’ HC search has been a background item as the sweepstakes for the ex-Ravens leader heat up. But Arizona is moving along with non-Harbaugh candidates.

One of them is Arthur Smith. The Steelers’ two-year OC received an interview request from the Cardinals on Wednesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. This is Smith’s second request; he met with the Titans, one of his former NFL employers, are meeting with him today.

The Steelers’ season is now over, clearing Smith’s schedule regarding coaching interest. Smith, 43, was a coveted candidate once upon a time; his star has dimmed a bit after three straight 7-10 seasons as the Falcons’ HC. Smith did receive interviews for the Bears and Jets’ positions last year.

While not the HC prospect he once was, Smith did coax a solid season from Aaron Rodgers after helping a Russell Wilson-guided team to the playoffs last season. After a 28th-place offensive ranking in 2023, the Steelers rebounded under Smith by finishing 16th in scoring last season. They moved to 15th in 2025. Rodgers finished with 3,322 yards in 16 starts, throwing 24 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. The all-time great averaged only 6.7 yards per attempt, but Pittsburgh’s offense lacked much firepower beyond D.K. Metcalf.

Smith leaned into the run with Atlanta, almost by choice due to the team’s QB situation. After the Falcons traded Matt Ryan to the Colts in 2022, Smith oversaw offenses piloted by Marcus Mariota and then Desmond Ridder. The Falcons stood down on QB investments in 2023, giving the job to Ridder. That turned out to be a mistake, one that played the lead role in Smith being fired. But the former Titans OC is back in the mix for a top job. With nine vacancies now — including the Steelers’, with Smith boss Mike Tomlin stepping down after 19 years — Smith is a name to follow once again.

Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is how the Cardinals’ process looks as of Wednesday morning:

Titans Request HC Interviews With Arthur Smith, Jeff Hafley, Robert Saleh

The Titan have submitted requests to interview Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and 49ers DC Robert Saleh, per Titans inside Paul Kuharsky.

Smith, 43, spent most of his coaching career in Tennessee. He started as a quality control assistant in 2011 with a season on both sides of the ball before spending six years working with the Titans’ tight ends. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019 and took a bottom 10 offense to top-12 ranks in points and yards in his debut season. Smith then led a top-five unit in 2020, which got him hired as the Falcons’ head coach the following offseason. He went 7-10 in three straight season in Atlanta and was fired in 2024. Mike Tomlin picked him up as the Steelers’ OC, but Smith has not found the same success as his time in Tennesee. Pittsburgh’s offense has ranked among the NFL’s bottom 10 teams in points and finished in the middle of the pack in terms of yardage.

Hiring Smith does not have obvious appeal outside of a reunion with a former coach. He does not have a strong history of working with young quarterbacks, a key part of the Titans’ current search, and his success has primarily come in the run game. Cam Ward has good movement skills, but he was not a dual-threat quarterback at Miami and will not be one in the NFL. His connections with Tomlin and Mike Vrabel could help him land a solid defensive coordinator.

Hafley, 46, has quickly risen up the list of hot coaching candidates after two successful years in Green Bay. His coaching career began in college in 2021 with stints at a variety of schools before moving to the NFL in 2012. He coached defensive backs in Tampa Bay (2012-2013), Cleveland (2014-2015), and San Francisco (2016-2018) before accepting a co-DC gig at Ohio State. Boston College hired Hafely as their next head coach in 2020; four years later, he took his current position with the Packers. In his debut year in Green Bay, Hafley led the team to a top-six finish in points and yards before taking a step back to a top-12 ranking this season.

Hiring a defensive-minded head coach to lock down one side of the ball while searching for a young OC to work with Ward seems like a viable strategy for the Titans, especially given this year’s hiring cycle. There are far more potential head coaches on the defensive side of the ball with a number of young offensive assistants who may be ready for an OC job.

Saleh is of course among the top options with a defensive background. He, like Smith, also has experience as a head coach at the NFL level. The 46-year-old returned to San Francisco for 2025, the first season after his Jets firing. Saleh’s unit dealt with a slew of notable injuries but still managed to finish 13th in points allowed. It thus comes as little surprise he is among the most in-demand staffers so far in the 2026 hiring cycle.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

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