#BlackMonday: Falcons Fire Mike Smith
After seven seasons in Atlanta, head coach Mike Smith has been fired by the Falcons. Given the task of basically being better than Bobby Petrino, Smith exceeded expectations with rookie QB Matt Ryan, finishing 11-5-0 and losing to the eventual NFC champion Cardinals in a Wild Card game. After missing the playoffs at 9-7-0 the next year, the Falcons made the next three postseasons, winning the NFC South twice and coming within ten yards of Super Bowl XLVII. After going 56-24-0 in his first five seasons (1-4 postseason), Smith went 4-12-0 last season, and this year could’ve made the playoffs by defeating the Panthers at home. But the Falcons lost, resulting in a third-place finish in the league’s worst division.
Smith is not expected to be in contention for another head coaching job, but could return as a defensive coordinator, a position he held under Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville. This also would reduce his visibility, which will result in less arguments on whether he looks like Dennis Quaid’s Jerry Lee Lewis or The Farting Preacher.
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