Following the 2020 season, the Falcons fired head coach Dan Quinn. Atlanta decided to go with Arthur Smith as their new head coach. He spent 2011-2020 with the Tennessee Titans and was their offensive coordinator in his final two seasons. Smith had no previous head coaching history in his past before getting the job with the Falcons.
Fast forward to the 2023 season and Atlanta finished with a losing record for a third straight season. This will also be their sixth season in a row not making the playoffs. Having a real QB has been the issue for Atlanta over the last three seasons. It’s certainly a factor that plays into why Atlanta fired Smith. With their talent on offense, the Falcons missed out on an opportunity to win the division in 2023.
Arthur Smith has been fired by the Atlanta Falcons, finishing with a 21-30 record
From @GMFB: The #Falcons fired coach Arthur Smith last night, creating the NFL’s fourth opening. Meanwhile, eyes on the #Commanders, #Titans, and others… pic.twitter.com/fliAvqIkqV
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2024
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that the Falcons were moving on from head coach Arthur Smith. Atlanta lost four of their last five games and owner Arthur Blank felt it was time to find a new head coach. Smith had gone 7-10 in three straight seasons with Atlanta. The Falcons have some real talent on offense, but Smith’s downfall was not having the right QB.
In his first season, Matt Ryan played in his final season with the Falcons. Smith’s offense ranked 26th out of 32 teams in 2021 for points per game. The following season, Atlanta signed Marcus Mariota to be their new starter. He was average at best for the Falcons and the team decided to bench him for the final four games of the 2022 season. They turned to rookie QB Desmond Ridder to finish out the season. Ridder went 2-2 in those starts and Smith felt he was capable of being their full-time starter in 2023.
Falcons dismiss Arthur Smith as head coach. pic.twitter.com/NEois8xhmc
— NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2024
To start the 2023 season, Atlanta went with Desmond Ridder. The 24-year-old had his fair share of struggles this season and was benched for veteran QB Taylor Heinicke. Ridder started 13 games for the Falcons in 2923, and Heinicke started the other four. Atlanta finished the season 7-10 and they own the 8th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The team is in desperate need of a new QB. They could potentially draft one or make a trade this offseason for a proven player. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.
As for now, owner Arthur Blank told the media that a new head coaching search will begin immediately. The Falcons are now one of five teams who need a new head coach in 2024. A lot of questions need to be answered in their front office this offseason. Important decisions have to be made if Atlanta wants a chance to be competitive moving forward.
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