The Atlanta Falcons have parted ways with embattled head coach Arthur Smith. On Jan. 8, it was announced that the Falcons fired Smith after three lackluster years.
During his tenure with the Falcons, Smith finished with a record of 21-30, becoming the first Falcons coach to lose 30 games within three seasons.
The final straw occurred on Jan. 7 when the Falcons suffered a 48-17 defeat by rivals, New Orleans Saints. Smith went viral on social media after confronting Saints coach Dennis Allen during the post game hand shake. Smith was upset that the Saints scored during the final minute of the game, running up the score.
Moving forward, the Falcons will have the 8th pick in the upcoming NFL Draft and will need to address the quarterback position following lackluster play from Desmond Ridder.
In a statement, Falcons owner Arthur Blank said, “Decisions like this are never easy and they never feel good. We have profound respect for Coach Smith and appreciate all the hard work and dedication he has put into the Falcons over the last three years. He has been part of building a good culture in our football team, but the results on the field have not met our expectations. After significant thought and reflection, we have determined the best way forward for our team is new leadership in the head coaching position.”
