The UNC Tar Hills opted for a big change ahead of the 2025 season, announcing last week that they’d fired HC Mack Brown after a disappointing 6-6 campaign. He’d been serving in his second run at the position since 2019, going 44-33 in his second stint as the Tar Heels’ head coach with a 1-4 bowl record. It became official that Brown wouldn’t coach UNC’s bowl game this year following a loss to the NC State Wolfpack, meaning that a 35-30 home loss will officially be his last game as head coach in Chapel Hill.

There’s been some speculation that Pittsburgh Steelers OC Arthur Smith could be the beneficiary of that head coach vacancy at his alma mater, but he’s officially taken himself out of the running, informing UNC that he should not be considered a candidate to fill the vacancy, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on Sunday.

Smith acknowledged he’d taken a preliminary call but downplayed any interest, stating he was happy in Pittsburgh. “We’ve got something good here in Pittsburgh right now. My family loves it. I like the working environment. I love being a Steeler.”

Watch Smith’s full statement with reporters ahead of Week 13 courtesy of Steelers Now beat reporter Alan Saunders: