NFL Network made a reference to FedEx immediately after its report of Arthur Smith, the son of company founder Frederick W. Smith, being fired as the Atlanta Falcons' head coach.
A clip reposted by Barstool Sports' X account shows a transition from a graphic of NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport's X account post on Smith's firing into the FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Week.
"Oh this is not nice," 'NFL GameDay' host Chris Rose said, acknowledging Smith's ties to the company as the graphic is shown. "But this is what we've got to do sometimes, people."
Smith's firing was initially reported by Rapoport just after midnight local time and 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 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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