Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith drew interest for a pair of head coaching jobs this hiring cycle, though he’s set to go home empty-handed.

He saw one of his opportunities evaporate when the Chicago Bears hired Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, arguably the top candidate available, on Monday afternoon.

Johnson orchestrated a Lions offense that averaged 409.2 yards and 33.2 points per game this season, both of which ranked inside the top-two in the NFL, while the team finished as the No. 1 seed in the NFC after posting a 15-2 record.

Their magical year ended rather abruptly this past weekend, however, with a loss to the No. 6-seeded Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round, allowing Johnson to jump ship and head to Detroit’s division rival.

All indications were that Smith was never a top contender to fill the Bears’ vacancy, but the fact that he interviewed with the team suggests there was at least some level of interest.

Then, on Tuesday, the New York Jets put an end to their own search by plucking another assistant from the Lions, hiring their defensive coordinator in Aaron Glenn.

Despite dealing with a laundry list of injuries, Glenn headed a unit that ceded just 20.1 points per contest on the year while also coming away with 16 interceptions, both of which were top-seven marks in the league.

A former scout and first-round pick who played eight seasons for the team, Glenn was long-rumored to be the favorite for the job in New York.

Had he left the building and not come to an agreement with the Jets, however, there’s a chance the franchise would’ve then turned to Smith. He was among the leading options in 2021 before they hired Robert Saleh and had a chance this year after netting an interview, though he was passed up once again.

Smith is not currently a candidate for any of the other openings around the league, so all signs point towards him remaining with the Steelers next season.

The Atlanta Falcons’ head coach from 2021 to 2023, he very well could earn a shot with another team in the near future if he continues to make strides while in Pittsburgh.

In his first year as the Steelers’ OC, the team averaged 319.4 yards and 22.4 points per game, both of which were improvements from the 2023 campaign.

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