Arthur Smith on HC interviews: You can’t cheat the game, you owe it to the players

Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has received interview requests from multiple teams this coaching cycle, but he told reporters this week that his focus will be where it needs to be.

Smith, who joined Pittsburgh for the 2024 season after being fired as head coach by Atlanta, praised the league for trying to slow down the interview process. But he also noted that he has a better handle on it now that he’s been through the interview challenges before.

“If you let it, it can’t become a distraction,” Smith said in his press conference Wednesday. “I think, first of all, you are extremely humbled because there are so many great candidates. There are people who train in small college ball and may never get a chance, but I guess it’s nice that someone wants to talk to you. But at the end of the day the league tried to slow it down, which is good because you’re sitting here, you have a chance and you don’t know how many chances you’re going to take to get into the playoffs and have a chance to win everything win. And you can’t cheat the game, you owe it to the players. You owe it to the organization. And I think having done it before, it’s a lot easier to just push it away.

“I think the first time it’s all around you, no matter how hard you try to compartmentalize it. So there’s a completely different feeling, like I said. I mean, I’ll get to that when the time comes, but I can’t waste time cheating the game and the players. And in this organization, our focus has to be on Baltimore.”

Smith will not be available for a virtual interview until after Pittsburgh’s game against Baltimore on Saturday evening.

“It’s good that the league is trying to slow it down, because it is,” Smith said. “You can’t blame someone for wanting a job, but that attention doesn’t have to be on me, or my concern doesn’t have to be focused on that, my concern has to be on that job. And that’s all that matters.”

The Steelers finished the 2024 season ranked 16th in points scored and 23rd in total yards. Smith compiled a 21-30 record with three 7-10 seasons with the Falcons from 2021-2023.