Falcons fire coach Arthur Smith after 3 straight losing seasons

Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was fired at the end of his third season. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)

As the Atlanta Falcons’ losses piled up, coach Arthur Smith seemed preoccupied with what people were saying or writing about him and his team.

When Smith was asked fair questions about the lack of use for his star players, he would usually take a shot at fantasy football players. His battles with anyone in the media became a recurring theme.

None of that would have mattered if Smith was winning games. He didn’t. Smith was fired at the end of his third losing season on Sunday night, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Sources: The #Falcons are firing coach Arthur Smith after three seasons, with the struggles at the end of the year leading to the decision. After losing four of their last five, owner Arthur Blank decides to go in a different direction. pic.twitter.com/IIsg7yXGai

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2024

Smith went 7-10 his first two seasons. The Falcons had an easy schedule his third season and a winnable NFC South. When the Falcons failed to win the division and finished with another losing season, it seemed clear that a change would be made.

Arthur Smith gone after 3 seasons

Smith was in some trouble going into Week 15 of this season, and then a loss to the Carolina Panthers probably made up owner Arthur Blank’s mind.

The Panthers were 1-12 coming into that game, while the Falcons were in a three-way tie for first place in a bad division. The Falcons had a few inexplicable coaching failures in the game — a combined 13 touches for Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts and Drake London, benching Robinson for a fumble in the rain, having Desmond Ridder throwing late in the game deep in Carolina territory and watching him throw a critical interception — and Atlanta lost 9-7. It’s hard to claim there is any progress being made when you lose to a one-win Panthers team with a share of the division lead on the line.

The easiest talking point with Smith’s…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/report-falcons-fire-coach-arthur-smith-after-3-straight-losing-seasons-050334824.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-01-08 05:03:34

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