The Atlanta Falcons held a press conference on Monday afternoon to address their dismissal of head coach Arthur Smith. The presser featured team owner Arthur Blank and CEO Rich McKay, but general manager Terry Fontenot was noticeably absent.
Blank and McKay touched on a number of topics, from their meeting with Smith to the Fontenot’s role in the coaching search. Here are 10 quotes from Monday’s 88-minute press conference.
1
Blank on final meeting with Arthur Smith
“We met for probably a few hours, maybe a little longer than that, and we had a very respectful, thoughtful discussion about the last three years. About each of the three years. About where we were as an organization, where the roster was. We talked about considerations that were on the table.”
2
Blank on decision to fire Smith
“We spent some quiet time after we finished with coach Smith that the right decision, all things considered, that we need to move forward.”
3
McKay on roster progress under Fontenot, Smith
“I give credit to both Terry and Arthur in that they spent two years retooling our roster, fixing our salary cap, which really wasn’t a function of mismanagement before but a function of trying to keep a veteran team and taking a chance to win a championship. And then having COVID come in and have the salary cap go down, which really kind of caught us.”
4
Blank says Smith never lost the locker room
“This coach never lost the locker room. I want to be clear on that and it’s a great credit to him, the other coaches. But it’s also a tremendous credit to the players, to the leadership that we have on this roster, in that locker room to the last day to the last play, they were fighting. So I want to give them credit.”
5
Blank on timetable for coaching hire
“We’re moving but also want to be clear on this: there is no timetable. The only timetable is to do this correctly. Take our time, be thoughtful, do all the interviews, be respectful, make sure we have a full diverse slate of candidates that we’re considering in every way, and give each and every one of them an opportunity to express their vision for our football team, for our franchise, for our roster, where we are and where we expect to go. We’ll take as much time as we need to do that and do it correctly.”
6
Blank on Terry Fontenot's absence
“Terry actually is here. So are a ton of other staff people that will be heavily involved in the search and heavily involved in the decision as we go forward. Because they’re physically not here doesn’t mean they’re not very well represented here.”
7
Blank on Fontenot's input in firing
“Terry was aware of the process we were going through. We sought out Terry’s opinion – the opinions of other senior people in our organization as well.”
8
Blank on collaboration between GM, head coach
“There has to be collaboration between a general manager and a head coach – has to be respect. Not always agreement. Agreement is not always a good thing. Respectful disagreement is a good thing. You want everyone to speak their minds, you want everyone to be listened to.
9
Blank on having the right QB
“Having the right quarterback in the NFL is a really big deal. It doesn’t mean you have to necessarily have the top two or three or four or five — you’d like to be in that position but you know, you want to have a quarterback who’s going to be certainly in the top half, top quarter out of the league. Being able to score points in this league is important.”
10
Blank on alliance to Falcons fans, players
“Our alliance is to our fanbase, but it’s also to the players. It’s not about a financial relationship between us and the players but we owe it to the players to make certain that given their commitment to the game emotionally, physically, energy, passion, everything that they do professionally that we are giving them the best opportunity to win.”
