The Atlanta Falcons have created major changes to their coaching staff over the past several days following their loss in Super Bowl 51 to the New England Patriots. Head coach Dan Quinn isn’t going anywhere but he’s made some changes to the staff around him.
February 5th, 2017 – Atlanta Falcons lose Super Bowl 51.
February 6th, 2017 – Atlanta Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan is hired as HC of the 49ers.
February 7th, 2017 – Atlanta Falcons hire Steve Sarkisian as new OC.
February 8th, 2017 – Atlanta Falcons fire DC Richard Smith and DL coach Bryan Cox.
Bryan Cox reportedly has been let go by the team altogether, while Richard Smith could change job titles. Allegedly, the firings of both these men were not a result of the Super Bowl loss. Smith had been with the team for two seasons and Cox, three. I thought Richard Smith did a nice job turning the defense around until I heard that Dan Quinn took over defensive play calling for the second half of the season.
Falcons firing Richard Smith is not surprising considering HC Dan Quinn had taken over the play calling duties mid-season. Quinn was the DC
— michael lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) February 8, 2017
With that being said, it is likely that the Atlanta Falcons promote from within. If they do, I imagine Quinn will resume defensive play calling authority. This would allow a learning curve with one of the new names mentioned below.
Falcons are expected to promote from within for their defensive coordinator. Two options: DBs coach Marquand Manuel & LBs coach Jeff Ulbrich
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 8, 2017
Neither coach has coordinator experience which leads me to believe Quinn will continue to call plays until he is comfortable with someone else. From what is being said, Manuel appears to be the favorite.
Additionally, the Falcons have seen other minor coaching wrinkles. Per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
Falcons running backs coach Bobby Turner could be leaving to join Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco.
Quinn spoke to the media on Tuesday about the hiring of offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian to replace Shanahan and he acknowledged that the Rams had sought permission to talk to quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur, who was later hired as their offensive coordinator.
There are significant changes headed the Falcons way to begin the 2017 offseason. How will these changes affect where they finish?
