Looking at Potential Head Coaching Candidates for the Atlanta Falcons
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The NFL regular season is over, and the Atlanta Falcons wasted no time in firing former head coach Arthur Smith following three consecutive 7-10 seasons, ending with 48-17 pummeling at the hands of their NFC South division rival New Orleans Saints.
A tenure that can be characterized as a massive disappointment was full of potential yet was marred by such surprising regression. With talent on both sides of the ball including wide receiver Drake London, running back Bijan Robinson, tight end Kyle Pitts, cornerback AJ Terrell, and safety Jessie Bates III, Smith was simply unable to bring it all together to create a winning formula in Atlanta.
Smith’s letting go was just one of several coaching changes around the league, which includes the Patriots parting ways with Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel’s exit in Tennessee, amongst others.
Owner Arthur Blank will look to find his next head coach within this crop.
the established
Bill Belichick, Former Head Coach, New England Patriots
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After over two decades of unprecedented success as the head coach of the New England Patriots, the team and head coach Bill Belichick mutually agreed to part ways, as announced on Thursday. The entire tenure wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, as the Patriots had the worst record in the AFC this past season, after a few seasons of struggling to remain afloat following the departure of Tom Brady.
Belichick is one of the greatest defensive minds in the history of the game, but the offense was perhaps the main reason that the Patriots struggled. If Atlanta can find someone to run the offense, while Belichick focuses on the defensive side of things, this is something that can work very well.
Jim Harbaugh, Head Coach, Michigan Wolverines
Photo Credit: AP Photo, Paul Sancya
Fresh off of leading the Michigan Wolverines to an undefeated season and a national championship, Jim Harbaugh could be looking to come back to the NFL. He will be having suitors from all around the league. His past work with the San Francisco 49ers is evident, leading them to three straight NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl appearance from 2011-2014.
Harbaugh is a guy who has turned around the fortune of teams he coached, not only the 49ers but also when coached Stanford, turning them into a program to watch at the time.
Though he is likely to land somewhere else, namely Los Angeles, you could bet that Atlanta is doing their due diligence on Harbaugh.
Coordinators
Ben Johnson, Offensive Coordinator, Detroit Lions
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The Detroit Lions were one of the best offenses in the NFL this past season. They were 3rd in the NFL in total offense (2nd in passing, 5th in rushing) and 5th in scoring, while Atlanta was middle of the pack or worse in these categories. The Lions displayed one of the most explosive and fun-to-watch offenses in the league under Johnson’s watch, and will certainly be getting looks.
Atlanta certainly wants to unlock the potential of their young offensive weapons, and Ben Johnson has shown to be perfectly capable of doing so. The Falcons requested an interview with Johnson, as well as one of Johnson’s current coworkers.
Aaron Glenn, Defensive Coordinator, Detroit Lions
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Glenn is a guy who played in the NFL in the past, worked with the Saints, and also has scouting experience. He is a well-respected coordinator who can have players buy in and rally around him. Though his experience as a coordinator is limited, he could very well fit right into a coaching role given the right circumstances.
Steve Wilks, Defensive Coordiantor, San Francisco 49ers
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Wilks has done fantastic work for San Francisco, leading them to 8th in total defense (3rd in scoring defense and against the run) this past season.
Though he was in what could be seen as a no-win situation as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, he is someone who has experience with difficult situations and could be an effective head coach in Atlanta.
The Falcons will look to get back on the winning side of things, and any of these candidates could be the man for the job. However, only time will tell.