NFL Head Coach Firing 2024: Five Reasons Why Atlanta Falcons Chose To Terminate Ties With Arthur Smith

The Atlanta Falcons have parted ways with head coach Arthur Smith. This came right after a pivotal response to ongoing underperformance. This decision made it to the news shortly after midnight on Monday, following a disheartening 48-17 defeat to the New Orleans Saints.

This loss not only symbolized the end of their third consecutive year under Smith without playoffs but also dashed their slim hopes of clinching the NFC South title. Smith’s exit has gone viral. It has raised many questions regarding why it might have happened. But this decision was long coming for many reasons.

Arthur Smith fired: Overdue or unexpected?

Arthur Smith’s tenure with the Falcons was marked by a lack of consistency. This was clearly evident in the team’s performance patterns. Firstly, the Falcons had three seasons of disappointing campaigns. They haven’t made it to the playoffs since 2017. This was their last time going for the Super Bowl. Not to mention, secondly, the Falcons were unable to string together more than two wins consecutively during Arthur’s time as head coach.

On top of that, in each of his last two seasons, the team encountered at least one stretch of three or more consecutive losses. Unfortunately, this inconsistency became a hallmark of Smith’s era. The third reason is the team’s quarterback position saw significant turnover, contributing to their overall challenges. Initially, Matt Ryan took the helm in Smith’s first season. Then came Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder in the second year. And finally, they transitioned to a mix of Ridder and Taylor Heinicke in his last season.

This frequent change in quarterbacks was a critical element in the difficulties that ultimately led to the end of Smith’s coaching tenure. Undoubtedly, the 48-17 loss to the Saints was the fourth reason for Smith’s firing. Recently, Coach Smith and Coach Allen got caught up in a heated argument during their postgame handshake. He even said to Allen, “That’s f***ing bullshit,” and they went ahead to go to the locker room. It seemed that coach Arthur himself was running out of patience with the team losing his cool in front of camera as well. And this could have added to the reasons piling up for the HC’s firing. But where will the team go from now?

Falcons’ eye diverse coaching prospects

The Falcons are considering a diverse group of candidates for their lookout for a new coach. Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots is currently emerging as a prominent contender. Well, Belichick, at 71, clearly brings the allure of potentially becoming the NFL’s winningest coach.

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He only needs 16 more wins to eclipse Don Shula’s record. His expertise in defense definitely offers a strategic pivot from Arthur Smith’s offensive orientation. Among others considered in the mix are Eric Bieniemy, Ejiro Evero, Brian Callahan, Brian Flores, Ben Johnson, Jim Harbaugh, Mike Macdonald, and Bobby Slowik.

With so many options in hand, things can go either way for Falcons depending on who they choose as their next HC? What do you think, who will be the next coach?

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