Arthur Smith was fired by the Atlanta Falcons after a 3rd successive 7-10 season within the NFC South; the Falcons’ 48-17 season-ending loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday was the second consecutive lopsided defeated that sealed Smith’s destiny, following a 37-17 defeat at Chicago
Final Up to date: 08/01/24 7:41am
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Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was livid with Saints head coach Dennis Allen for scoring a landing that was deemed pointless.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was livid with Saints head coach Dennis Allen for scoring a landing that was deemed pointless.
The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Arthur Smith on Sunday evening, hours after he had accomplished a 3rd successive shedding season in control of the workforce.
Smith, the 41-year-old son of FedEx founder Fred Smith, went 7-10 in every of his three seasons as he did not carry the rebuilding franchise from a playoff drought.
The Falcons’ 48-17 loss at New Orleans was the second consecutive lopsided defeated that sealed Smith’s destiny, following a 37-17 loss at Chicago.
The Falcons have posted six straight shedding seasons since their final playoff look in 2017.
Smith was employed by the Falcons in 2021 after a decade-long stint as an assistant with the Tennessee Titans, transferring as much as turn into their offensive coordinator.
Smith was fired after a 3rd successive 7-10 season with the Falcons
Smith did not really feel a lot warmth after his first two shedding seasons as Atlanta handled main wage cap points after buying and selling away two franchise stalwarts: quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Julio Jones.
The expectations on Smith grew immensely this season, with proprietor Arthur Clean making it clear he anticipated nothing lower than the workforce’s first journey to the playoffs since 2017 after a free-agent spending spree to enhance the protection and utilizing three straight top-10 draft picks on offensive playmakers Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson.
However Smith by no means obtained dependable quarterback play, switching forwards and backwards between Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke this season.
Requested about his job standing following Sunday’s loss to the Saints, Smith stated, “Positive, as I’ve stated a lot of instances, we all know the trade that we’re in. I really like doing what I am doing. Additionally, like I’ve instructed you a lot instances, that is the trade that we’re in. I really like teaching. I might have cherished to win right this moment. Clearly, we did not.”
NFL Wild Card Weekend schedule
Sat, Jan 13 – 9:30pm Cleveland Browns @ Houston Texans Solar, Jan 14 – 1am Miami Dolphins @ Kansas Metropolis Chiefs Solar, Jan 14 – 6pm Pittsburgh Steelers @ Buffalo Payments Solar, Jan 14 – 9:30pm Inexperienced Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys Mon, Jan 15 – 1am LA Rams @ Detroit Lions Tue, Jan 16 – 1am Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When requested what he instructed his gamers, Smith stated, “These guys have been such a privilege to work with. … They labored extraordinarily arduous all season. To obviously come up brief … I admire the hell out of them. I really like teaching this workforce.”
Some gamers spoke out in help of Smith.
“I completely love coach Smith,” proper guard Chris Lindstrom stated. “I really like the workers. I do know we did not win the video games that we’re presupposed to this yr. However I believe the inspiration of what this locker room is, there’s a whole lot of nice issues to return.”
These nice issues didn’t are available in 2023, regardless of one of many league’s best schedules. The fan base turned on Smith after a dismal 9-7 loss to the NFL-worst Carolina Panthers in Week 15, an opponent that got here in with a 1-12 report and interim coach.
“The job is to win video games and get into the playoffs,” Smith acknowledged. “Positively a tricky tablet to swallow.”
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Highlights of the Minnesota Vikings in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9 of the NFL season.
Highlights of the Minnesota Vikings in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9 of the NFL season.
Smith’s greatest downfall was failing to settle the quarterback place after Ryan – the Atlanta starter since 2008 – was traded to Indianapolis following Smith’s first season.
Journeyman Marcus Mariota began a lot of the 2022 marketing campaign, with out a lot success, earlier than the Falcons turned to Ridder for the ultimate 4 video games.
Ridder, a third-round draft decide, was anointed the starter heading into his second season and it regarded just like the workforce was headed for higher instances after a 2-0 begin.
However the younger quarterback struggled with turnovers, main Smith to make a change in early November to Heinicke. After two losses with Heinicke because the starter, the Falcons once more turned to Ridder, with the coach saying he did not wish to hold going forwards and backwards.
Then got here the loss to the league’s worst workforce on a dreary day in Charlotte earlier than a largely empty stadium.
Clinging to a 7-6 lead halfway by means of the fourth quarter, Ridder led a doubtlessly clinching drive deep into Carolina territory – solely to throw a move that was so ill-advised, it was arduous to even inform which receiver he was attempting to hit.
Carolina made the present interception and drove almost the size of the sector to exploit the remaining time on the clock, kicking a chip-shot discipline aim as time expired.
The loss knocked Atlanta out of a three-way tie for first place within the NFC South and largely sealed Smith’s destiny. Furious followers flooded social media with submit demanding that Clean “#FireArthurSmith” amid griping that Smith solely obtained his job due to his billionaire father’s relationship with the Atlanta proprietor.
Ridder was benched once more, with Heinicke reclaiming the job earlier than being held out on Sunday because of an ankle harm. Ridder threw an interception and misplaced a fumble within the second half following a robust begin that included two landing passes.
Watch the wild card spherical dwell on Sky Sports activities subsequent weekend, together with the Buffalo Payments conflict with the Pittsburgh Steelers at 6pm on Sunday. Stream the NFL and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership