The Atlanta Falcons have fired head coach Arthur Smith.
The move was initially reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and confirmed in a statement shared by owner Arthur Blank on the team's website minutes later.
"Decisions like this are never easy and they never feel good," Blank said. "We have profound respect for Coach Smith and appreciate all the hard work and dedication he has put into the Falcons over the last three years. He has been part of building a good culture in our football team, but the results on the field have not met our expectations. After significant thought and reflection, we have determined the best way forward for our team is new leadership in the head coaching position."
Smith's firing came hours after the Falcons lost, 48-17, to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday (January 7). The 41-year-old was seen yelling at Saints coach Dennis Allen after New Orleans scored a touchdown with an already comfortable lead in the game's final seconds.
"Why the f**k would you do that, man?" Smith appeared to yell at Allen when they met at midfield after the game. "Why the f--- did you do that?! ... That's f***in' bulls**t!"
Smith, the son of FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith, was hired by the Falcons in 2021 after working as the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, having previously held several other offensive coaching roles for the franchise from 2011 to 2018. The Memphis native went 21-30 during his tenure in Atlanta, finishing with a 7-10 record in each of his three seasons.
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