The Pittsburgh Steelers might be honing their weapons for the Wild Card Round against the Houston Texans, but the front office is distracted by something else. Though the team managed to reach the postseason, offensive performance didn’t fit in the category of “good,” at least consistently. That’s why the word around the town is that the front office wants Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith gone, and they’ve got their eyes on Mike McDaniel. That’s not something James Harrison wants. 

“Ain’t no way. Ain’t no way,” said Harrison on his Deebo and Joe podcast. “OC suddenly feels painfully obvious if Arthur Smith leaves that it’s Mike McDaniel. You’re talking about the dude who just got fired in Miami. Whoever said that, man, tell them [to] go chew on wood or glue or something.”

The instability at the OC position isn’t just about performance; it’s more about opportunity. It was recently announced that Smith will interview for the head coaching vacancy with the Tennessee Titans. 

Apart from the sparkles of the head coach position, Smith also has old ties with Nashville, as he had formerly served as offensive coordinator there. The Titans are looking to fill the void left by Brian Callahan, who was fired mid-season during the 2025 campaign. But that leaves a space in Pittsburgh, and Harrison believes he has good reason to have prejudice. 

His skepticism of McDaniel stems from his recent exit from Miami. Despite his reputation as one of the league’s most creative offensive minds, McDaniel was relieved of his duties Thursday. A second consecutive losing season would do that for you. And before mediocrity became a norm in Miami, owner Stephen Ross severed ties. 

2025 was McDaniel’s fourth run, and it started with Miami stumbling out of the gate with a 1-6 record. Mid-season brought a ray of hope, but the team collapsed down the stretch.

Under him, the Dolphins’ 2025 season saw:

• First seven games: 1-6 record
• Next six games: 5-1 record
• Last four games: 1-3 record

But it might not be as bad as Harrison thinks. The former Dolphins HC has an impressive portfolio when serving as offensive coordinator. Take the Falcons, for instance; he served as the offensive assistant in Dan Quinn’s staff for two seasons, one of which saw the Falcons make a Super Bowl appearance. Then, he found a home in San Francisco, initially serving as run game coordinator (2017–2020). He was then promoted to OC in 2021, where he orchestrated one of the league’s most efficient rushing attacks that led SF to the Super Bowl in 2020. 

That’s why Tomas Jaggi of FanSided recently urged the Steelers to “pick up the phone” and call McDaniel. In his opinion, the Dolphins’ firing of McDaniel was “the most surprising head coaching firing.” He believes bringing him in will take the Steelers’ offense in a new direction for good. Unlike Smith, McDaniel made the Dolphins the sixth-ranked offense in his debut year as head coach in 2022. Next season, the team finished on top in total offense and second in scoring offense. 

While the Steelers haven’t made a move, other teams aren’t sitting still. McDaniel reportedly has an interview scheduled with the Cleveland Browns. They fired Kevin Stefanski earlier this season, leaving a vacant head coach position. They have long admired McDaniel’s offensive mind and are reportedly prepared to use “ample resources” to rebuild their offense around him. 

Is Arthur Smith planning to leave the Steelers?

While Harrison is skeptical about McDaniel, he’s certain that he doesn’t want another run of Smith. He believes the Steelers don’t have a bright future with Smith commanding the offense. However, the legend’s wishes might not come true, as the Steelers OC has no plans to leave the Steelers. At least for now. 

Smith confirmed on Thursday that his former team has reached out to interview him for their vacant head coaching position. Despite the fancy job offer, Smith told reporters he isn’t letting his mind wander back to Nashville just yet.

“That’s not something I’m going to focus on because the only thing that matters is my current job,” Smith said. “It’s like trying to tell people all the time, I’m living the present. If you have perspective, you have life experiences; you’re wasting time worrying about the future if you deal with that.”

Despite the tough road, the Steelers have managed to keep their Super Bowl dreams alive by qualifying for the Wild Card round against the Texans. So, his current responsibility lies with the Steelers’ players and the playoff run. Currently, he considers the discussion nothing but a “distraction.”

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