The Atlanta Falcons landed one of the NFL’s most sought-after candidates to be their next head coach, agreeing to terms with Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. All seven teams with coaching vacancies looked into hiring Smith, but the Falcons finally closed the deal on Friday afternoon.
When introduced on Saturday, Smith credited team owner Arthur Blank with helping him make a tough decision.
“The Falcons organization stood out to us in this process primarily due to the leadership and support from the top in Arthur Blank,” said Smith. “His actions and core values provide a great model on how to operate for so many, and align with how I plan to move forward in reaching the levels of competition the passionate Atlanta fans so richly deserve. That will all start with the culture we as a team create and thrive in. I’m excited to get started on this new journey and cannot wait to see what the future holds for our city and its fans.”
Now that the contract is signed, Smith’s attention will shift to building a staff. While nothing has been officially announced, it was reported by NFL insider Adam Caplan that Smith plans on calling plays.
As first noted yesterday, look for Dave Ragone (Bears passing game coordinator) to potentially join his staff as highest ranking offensive coach (as OC or passing game coordinator).
I'm told, however, Smith is planning on calling the plays. https://t.co/2Pp3SIq9Ja
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) January 15, 2021
Dave Ragone, the passing game coordinator for the Chicago Bears, was named as a potential offensive coordinator for Atlanta. Here are some other options the team could consider to replace Dirk Koetter, the Falcons’ play-caller for the past two seasons.
