The Atlanta Falcons announced that it has hired Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith as the next team coach. Smith has spent the past 10 seasons in Tennessee, moving from offensive and defensive quality control technician to his current role.
Smith was a candidate for head coach this offseason after the work he has done with Ryan Tannehill since becoming the Titans quarterback in week 7 of the 2019 season. Tannehill is first in the league in yards per attempt (8.5), third in touchdowns (550) and third in passer rank (111.3) among NFL quarterbacks since becoming Titans holder – some of the best NFL numbers in the position. Derrick Henry led the NFL with 3,565 yards in the past two seasons (875 more than the second on the list, Dalvin Cook). The Titans’ attack was tied for second in total yards per game (396.4) and fourth in points per game (30.7) in 2020 under Smith’s guidance.
The North Carolina native is the son of FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith. Teams looking for a CEO-type leader would have found a natural fit in the Titans’ interlocutor. He is probably moving to Atlanta to work for Home Depot founder Arthur Blank.
Tennessee’s season ended in the Super Wild-Card Round against the Ravens, so Smith was free to explore other opportunities.
Atlanta made the decision to stop being coach Dan Quinn in October, after the team’s first 0-5 start since 1997. Raheem Morris accepted the interim role and led the team to a 4-12 final. They are also in the midst of a search for the general manager.
The NFL saw a series of moves this week, with the Jets appointing 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to be their next coach and the Jaguars hiring Urban Meyer to be their next coach. Eagles, Chargers, Texans and Lions still have vacancies as head coach.