Arthur Smith has been the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons for just a few days and has a lot of decisions to make in the coming days, weeks and months. But when it comes to what kind of team he wants to field in 2021, Smith did not hesitate in his response.
“We want to be the most professional, selfless, well-conditioned and tough football in the league,” said Smith.
In an exclusive interview (and his first) with AtlantaFalcons.com, Smith said he certainly expects the squad to look different in September, when the Falcons line up in Week 1, but he also points out that “we have a lot of game makers” now.
And one of them is quarterback Matt Ryan, who Smith called “the best professional”.
Smith acknowledged Ryan’s sustained success here in Atlanta, but paused when it came to comparing the work he did with Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee. Smith helped revive the Titans’ quarterback career.
In two consecutive seasons in Smith’s attack, number 8 in the 2012 general draft started 26 games and totaled 6,561 yards with 55 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and 110.6 crossing points, completing 67.3 percent of his passes. Tannehill was nominated for the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career in 2019 and was named Comeback Player of the Year by the Associated Press and Pro Football Writers of America.
“(Matt) is a great leader and obviously there are a lot of things he can do, but I don’t get into comparisons because we did something with Ryan,” said Smith. “It doesn’t mean that we will do the same things with Matt.
“We will play with Matt’s strengths, just as we try to play with Ryan’s strengths.”
Speaking about the cast, Smith said he and Falcons’ new general manager, Terry Fontenot “will look to add more” game creators, as well as the type of team he envisions building.
“We are constantly looking to innovate and adapt, regardless of who the staff is,” said Smith. “We will play with the strengths of the team and be flexible. But we will do that in all three phases. And we will have guys who are great teammates and understand how to adapt week by week.”
Along with the descriptors of resistant, physical, intelligent, innovative and adaptability, another word used is “responsibility”.
“And that will be a great thing – we will look for guys who are great teammates and we will hold our best players accountable,” said Smith. “And then, whether it’s Matt or Grady Jarrett, they’ll all have the same pattern.”
Smith said he spoke to Fontenot and got to know him.
“We share the same vision,” said Smith. “We have the same values. Certainly, it will not be group thinking, but Terry and I … will be a definite partnership. It will be a great collaboration, a good partnership, as we seek to build this team for the short term and the long term.”