The Pittsburgh Steelers still await clarity at the game’s most crucial position. Aaron Rodgers remains unsigned, with organized team activities (OTAs) fast approaching. The assumption is that Rodgers will join the team, but nothing has been confirmed, and the longer the delay, the more questions arise — not just about timing, but about fit.
Rodgers’ name carries weight, but not everyone in the building is on board. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, in particular, reportedly had his eyes on a different quarterback altogether — one the Steelers let walk in free agency.
Internal Divide? Steelers OC Arthur Smith Favored Justin Fields While Mike Tomlin Backed Aaron Rodgers
Pittsburgh sports radio host Andrew Fillipponi stirred the pot on “The PM Team with Poni & Mueller,” suggesting not everyone at the Steelers facility is fully aligned on Rodgers. “I don’t think there’s a lot of people over there that want Aaron Rodgers,” Fillipponi said. “It’s [Mike Tomlin’s] call… I don’t think the offensive coordinator really wanted him either; he wanted Justin Fields.”
Fillipponi isn’t an insider, and his comments are opinion-based. However, his sentiments echoed a report from NFL insider James Palmer, who said on Bleacher Report’s “NFL Insider Notebook” that Arthur Smith “really wanted [Fields] to stay in Pittsburgh.” According to Palmer, Smith believed he could win playoff games with Fields.
Smith respected Fields’ coachability and mentality.
“Extremely coachable, extremely bright … The guy just wants to work, and that’s what you appreciate about him,” said Smith in October 2024. “I’m very pleased with him overall.”
Smith’s belief wasn’t unfounded. During his six-game stint as a starter early in 2024, Fields went 4-2. He played within a tighter structure under Smith’s direction and made noticeable progress with his mechanics and decision-making. The Steelers ultimately pivoted to Russell Wilson in Week 7, but it wasn’t Smith’s call. As Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported, Tomlin went “lone ranger” on the move, saying he wanted to “exhaust all options” before committing to either quarterback.
In hindsight, the Steelers did make the playoffs, but Fields’ exit and Smith’s reported disappointment suggest a split in vision between the OC and head coach.
Tomlin in Full Control as Rodgers Watch Drags On
If Smith had reservations about Rodgers, they make sense. The 41-year-old QB is known for wanting control at the line of scrimmage, which clashes with Smith’s run-first system. Smith thrived in Tennessee with a disciplined offensive identity built around the ground game and play action, not a quarterback freelancing outside the playbook.
But in Pittsburgh, Tomlin has the final say. If the head coach wants Rodgers, Smith must adjust — regardless of how it affects his role.
Fields has moved on to the New York Jets, where he candidly addressed his benching in Pittsburgh. “It was different for me and a space I wasn’t really comfortable,” Fields said in April. “But coach [Mike] Tomlin made a decision he thought was best for the team.”
Now, as the Steelers weigh whether Rodgers is still the answer — or just a short-term Band-Aid — Smith can only wait. In January, he interviewed for the Jets’ head coaching job but ultimately lost out to Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Instead, Smith finds himself in Pittsburgh, hoping the next quarterback fits his offense better than the last one, or the one possibly on the way.