Atlanta Falcons hire ex-Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith as head coach

Arthur Smith will be the next head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, the team announced Friday on Twitter.

Smith, 38, replaces Dan Quinn, whom the Falcons fired after Week 5 during the regular season. Raheem Morris took over as the interim coach, leading the team to a 4-7 record, and interviewed for the full-time job.

The gig ultimately went to Smith, who has been the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator for the last two seasons.

Smith played for the North Carolina Tar Heels as a reserve offensive lineman from 2001-05 and served as a graduate assistant in 2006. He broke into the professional ranks the following season as a defensive quality control assistant with Washington for the next two years before returning to the college game in 2010 as a defensive intern and quality control coach at Ole Miss.

The Titans hired Smith in 2011, and he’s been with the organization since, even through four head coaches. All the while, Smith worked his way up the coaching ladder, becoming the Titans tight ends coach in 2016. When Matt LaFleur became the Green Bay Packers head coach following the 2018 season, Mike Vrabel promoted Smith to the job.

Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith walks off the field before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Nissan Stadium. (Photo: Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports)

Under Smith, the Titans evolved into a multi-faceted offensive attack. Running back Derrick Henry became the eighth player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season in 2020, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill emerged as a viable NFL starter after a lackluster start to his career with the Miami Dolphins. Weapons such as receivers A.J. Brown and Corey Davis, in addition to tight end Jonnu Smith, were quality options for the quarterback and offensive coordinator.

Smith will now be responsible for bringing the best out of a different veteran quarterback in Matt Ryan.

The Falcons are expected to hire New Orleans Saints assistant general manager Terry Fontenot as the team's GM, replacing Thomas Dimitroff, who was also let go after Atlanta's 0-5 start. 

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.

Source: Read Full Article