New Packers head coach Matt LaFleur hoped to take Arthur Smith with him to Green Bay. The Titans, though, named Smith their new offensive coordinator Monday.
“Of course I would have loved to have had him here,” LaFleur told Paul Kuharsky of paulkuharsky.com. “But I knew there was no way he was going to get out of that building.
“I just have a lot of respect for him. Not only as a football coach, but as a man. I think he is of the highest character. He’s a good family man; he loves his wife and kids; he’s a fun guy to be around. I think he is exactly what you look for when you are trying to hire people.”
Smith has survived three head coaching changes in Tennessee, working for four head coaches. He has worked his way up the coaching chain, with his latest promotion coming from tight ends coach.
“You can’t have enough guys like him,” LaFleur said. “He’s a grinder. He’s going to work his tail off. I can’t tell you how many times this last year he would be there with us after midnight and he’d be there at 5:00 in the morning. He’s incredibly intelligent. I think he’s got such a great overall knowledge of football.”