Entering Week 18, the Atlanta Falcons needed a win over the New Orleans Saints, and for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to lose to the Carolina Panthers to secure an NFC South title. Not only were the Falcons blown out by the Saints, 48-17, but the Bucs defeated the Panthers.
Atlanta has now gone 7-10 in three consecutive seasons under head coach Arthur Smith. After the game, fans were clear about their desire for Smith to be fired. Here’s how Falcons Twitter reacted to Sunday’s ugly loss in New Orleans.
What y’all wearing to the Arthur Smith Firing Party? pic.twitter.com/MoigwiW8CZ
— Not Bijan (@InBijanWeTrust) January 7, 2024
If Arthur Smith isn’t fired after THIS then this franchise is hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.
— jxke, esq. 🧸 (@cantguardjake) January 7, 2024
Arthur Smith is guaranteed to get fired on Black Monday
— A M B E Z Y (@bezy_bby) January 7, 2024
Falcons punting down 24 with 8 mins left on a 4th and 6 to a team that’s scored 27 points this half… I think this was Arthur Smith’s way of firing himself.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) January 7, 2024
Arthur Smith has fully given up. Literally not even trying
Might be the most pathetic thing I have ever seen from an NFL coach
— Carlton (@CrispyCarlton) January 7, 2024
#Falcons HC Arthur Smith in the background after a failed 4th-down: pic.twitter.com/16FaBQJDFp
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 7, 2024
I thought it was impossible for one game to be an accurate referendum on Arthur Smith.
I was completely wrong. This game proves without a doubt that he deserves to be back. The Falcons mistakes in this game (and season) are so far past what coaching can control.
— Will McFadden (@willmcfadden) January 7, 2024
Don’t think you could have drawn up a better half to fire Arthur Smith
— SportsTalkATL.com (@SportsTalkATL) January 7, 2024
Oh boy. #Falcons HC Arthur Smith just went OFF on #Saints HC Dennis Allen for scoring a late garbage-time touchdown.
"That's f****** bulls***!"pic.twitter.com/mPcekQYhvE
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 7, 2024
Arthur Smith on his heated exchange with Dennis Allen postgame: (The game) was out of hand, "you can do whatever you want" when the score is like that, said he just wanted to give (Allen) his opinion.
Allen reportedly apologized to Smith, the Falcons to start his presser.
— Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney) January 7, 2024
Arthur Blank you know what to do… pic.twitter.com/mSQ8tVMxtm
— Mario’s OG (@BigZaddyKai) January 7, 2024
**Taysom Hill steps onto field**
Falcons: I wonder what play they’ll run next pic.twitter.com/lFupFAVavW
— 🐜. (@iAmAnt__) January 7, 2024
Not having to watch this team again until next season is honestly the best outcome of the day https://t.co/kPBSn8u6Q8
— Jeanna Kelley (@jeannathomas) January 7, 2024
Please don't let this be what Blank is thinking https://t.co/lZSjmAMDcg
— The Falcoholic (@TheFalcoholic) January 7, 2024
Now he's a liar too. That's always what the Saints have been about. Especially since the Payton days. https://t.co/EDPkYdalaK
— 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒕 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒌 🐦⬛🏈🇬🇪🇺🇦🇱🇻 (@CarasikS) January 7, 2024
Bye bye Arthur pic.twitter.com/BJ6qrzXvMs
— Carlton (@CrispyCarlton) January 7, 2024
In 3 seasons with Arthur Smith as head coach, the #Falcons have scored 30+ points 4 times. TOTAL.
And not ONCE this season.
For a coach that was hired to fix the offense, that's a damning statistic, no matter the circumstances.
— Welp DW (@NFLDw) January 7, 2024
Nothing wrong with the play call or design on 4th down. Just a God awful pass in a terrible spot by Ridder.
But again, blame the coach for the player’s lack of execution. #Falcons
— Mark Zinno (@MarkZinno) January 7, 2024
Saints coach Dennis Allen: I’m gonna start by apologizing to Arthur Smith and the Falcons.
Said they should’ve taken a knee. But guys wanted to get Jamaal Williams a TD and that’s “unacceptable.”
“That’s not who we are, not what we’re about.”
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) January 7, 2024
"I love doing what I do." Arthur Smith said the game just ended so he hasn't been given any indication what his future will look like. Added he won't give a state of the union of the last three years when asked to give reasoning for remaining as the ATL HC.
— Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney) January 7, 2024
lather, rinse, repeat with every falcons regime https://t.co/NmaoNJXdhg
— kelsey orr (@kelseytayorr) January 7, 2024
6 straight losing seasons, we’re not out of the rebuild yet people
— Tre'Shon (@tre3shon) January 7, 2024
picking 8th, do whatever you can to get Daniels
— Tre'Shon (@tre3shon) January 7, 2024
I just can’t understand moving on from Arthur Smith so quickly when he’s getting this kind of Jekyll & Hyde QB play. But the Falcons are gonna Falcon.
— Matt Karoly (@mattkaroly) January 7, 2024
10 years of tweeting like this 😭 https://t.co/pQSp6iFatX
— kelsey orr (@kelseytayorr) January 7, 2024
Art Smith, take this one in brother.
— Cam Marino (@MarinoNFL) January 7, 2024
Falcons owner Arthur Blank declined to take questions after his team’s season ending loss to New Orleans.
Said “See you guys.” And then “take care.”
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) January 7, 2024
HOWEVER, if he fires Smith just to put his hand in the pot to go after someone like Belichick, then I won’t be watching or covering them next year
— Ev Glaze (@Everett_G07) January 7, 2024
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot just walked into the team's locker room along with team CEO Rich McKay and team president Greg Beadles.
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) January 7, 2024
