Inside Conditions: Eric Bienemy, not Arthur Smith, would have been a better OC for the Steelers

THE STEELERS’ RUSSELL WILSON GOES FOR A TOUCHDOWN AGAINST THE CHIEFS ON CHRISTMAS DAY 2024 IN PITTSBURGH. (PHOTOS BY MARLON MARTIN)

The 2024 NFL postseason “will be coming ‘round the mountain when he comes,” and trust me he will not be riding six white horses when he arrives. However, if the Steelers will take a sneak peek in their rear view mirror, they will see six humongous Clydesdales gaining on them poised to stomp on their chances of playoff success.

The 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers had multiple opportunities to control their fate, but the characteristics of stubbornness, predictability, and obstinance that permeated the offensive and defensive strategies of their coaching staff may have all but ended any chances they might have had to succeed.

YEP…RUSS DID MAKE IT IN THE END ZONE FOR A PITTSBURGH TOUCHDOWN..(PHOTO BY MARLON MARTIN)

Until recently, Pittsburgh was comfortably riding in “luxury sleeper cars” on the playoff train. However, based on their performance during the past few weeks, they may have been pushed back to the caboose, being forced to eat brown-bagged meals instead of a hot breakfast featuring cheese omelets with bacon and pancakes on the side, along with a good strong cup of Joe.

During the latter part of the 2023 season, the Steelers fired the much-maligned offensive coordinator Matt Canada and replaced him with a two-headed dragon OC approach. They installed running backs coach Eddie Faulkner as the offensive coordinator and former QB coach Mike Sullivan as the play-caller.

That was a totally perplexing decision because although the numbers may not have shown it, that move appeared to make a bad situation worse regarding stabilizing the offense of the Steelers.

However, with all of the rigmarole and confusion continuing to swirl around the locker room and on the field, the Pittsburgh offense in 2023 still managed to end up ranked No. 7 in the NFL. In 2023 and 2024, the Steelers had an opportunity to vigorously pursue the former offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs, Eric Bienemy, to be the primary offensive shot-caller for the Steelers. He won two Super Bowls from 2018 to 2022 before they parted ways.

Around January 1, 2024, the current OC of the Steelers, Arthur Smith was terminated as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. On January 30, 2024, the Steelers’ management hastily handed the keys of their already struggling offense to Smith.

The Steelers bypassed Eric Bienemy to hastily hire Arthur Smith. Why? It couldn’t be because of Smith’s stellar won-loss record or personal performance resume. Arthur Smith currently has a 3-4 record in the playoffs. Bienemy coached in 14 playoff games with the Chiefs winning Super Bowls LIV and LVII. In 1990, he finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. He also played in Super Bowl XXIX.

However, Arthur Smith never played a down of football in the NFL and as an offensive coordinator never advanced his team, the Tennessee Titans, past an AFC title game.

Eric Bienemy is a better offensive coach because he is sensitive and more attuned to the nuances that it takes to help create successful players and offensive schematics based on how those players are utilized. Arthur Smith may have played in college, but that is a different animal. Eric Bienemy and others like him have developed better football instincts and strategies than many coaches who are part of the NFL coaching rank-and-file because he has experienced the pain and glory of being an NFL player.

As far as the defense is concerned, why did the Steeles allow Brian Flores to walk? Look at what he is doing with the Minnesota Vikings defense.

Was it because Flores had filed a suit alleging unfair hiring practices?

CNN posted an article online on February 1, 2022, titled: “Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores sues NFL and 3 NFL teams alleging racial discrimination.” The article stated the following. “Brian Flores, the former head coach of the Miami Dolphins, filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the NFL, the New York Giants, the Denver Broncos, and the Miami Dolphins organizations alleging racial discrimination. Flores, who is Black, says in his lawsuit that the Giants interviewed him for their vacant head coaching job under disingenuous circumstances, as Flores had found out three days before his interview that the Giants had already decided to hire Brian Daboll. Flores says he learned this after receiving a congratulatory text message from New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick that was sent in error.”

That was weird. Why would a team interview a candidate for a job position when the position was already filled? Was there a smokescreen in the mix? Brian Daboll, the head coach that the Giants hired in January of 2022, may already be in jeopardy of joining the ex-NFL head coaching fraternity.

The AP posted an article on February 19, 2022. The article stated: “Brian Flores is back in the NFL. The Pittsburgh Steelers hired the former Miami Dolphins coach to serve as a senior defensive assistant. The hiring comes less than three weeks after Flores, who is Black, sued the NFL and three teams over alleged racist hiring practices following his dismissal by Miami. Flores led the Dolphins to consecutive winning seasons before he was fired in January. Though he has returned to coaching in the league, Flores will not abandon the lawsuit.”

Based on the recent failures of the Steelers on both sides of the ball, please consider these stats. Arthur Smith was hired as the OC of the Steelers, and had a three-year stint as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons with a 21-30 won-loss record. Brian Flores had a 24-25 won-loss record after a three-year stint with the Dolphins and could only scrounge up a gig as a “defensive assistant” from February 2022 to just before the 2024 season began. That’s when he landed the job as the DC of the Minnesota Vikings this season. Did the Vikings get the better deal? You be the judge.