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Report: Falcons Will Fire Mike Smith, Even If Team Reaches Playoffs

By Hayden Kane

Dec 14, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith is shown on the sideline in the first quarter of their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Georgia Dome. The Steelers won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith is shown on the sideline in the first quarter of their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Georgia Dome. The Steelers won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Atlanta Falcons will reportedly fire head coach Mike Smith at season’s end, pending a miraculous deep run into the 2014 NFL playoffs.

Unless you somehow end up seeing Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and the Falcons in this year’s Super Bowl, head coach Mike Smith is on his way out in Atlanta.

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Not that this should necessarily surprise anybody. Smith is not necessarily well-regarded in the NFL as a head coach. Not all playoff berths are created equal, so even if the Falcons somehow win the NFC South with a 7-9 record, that likely will not be enough for Smith to save his job after an altogether disappointing stretch in Atlanta dating back to the beginning of 2013.

Jason La Canfora reports that Mike Smith will likely be out in Atlanta at season’s end:

"Falcons owner Arthur Blank has informed multiple parties that he plans on moving on from head coach Mike Smith at the end of the season, sources said, and it would take a shocking playoff run to alter that scenario……While Smith is beloved in the organization, and he helped rebuild the franchise, he entered this season under pressure to improve the team and the season has been another struggle. The roster has also decayed and has had ongoing issues along the offensive and defensive line, and, depending on the pedigree of the coach Blank lands, making alterations to the front office as well could come into play."

Smith enters week 16 of the 2014 season with a career record of 65-45 as Atlanta’s head coach. When he was hired in 2007, he was clearly the right man for the job in a difficult situation. Things have crumbled the last couple seasons, however, with the low point being Atlanta’s 4-12 record last season.

It isn’t Mike Smith’s fault alone that Atlanta has struggled, but the time still has come for both parties to move on.

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