The Falcons landed one of the NFL’s most sought-after candidates for head coach on Friday, agreeing to terms with Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to lead the franchise in 2021 and beyond.
Smith’s hiring was mostly praised by NFL analysts around the league after he helped Tennessee’s offense reach new heights over the past two seasons. Perhaps nobody understands what the first-time head coach brings to the table better than Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
A former top-10 pick back in 2012, Tannehill went from being a middle-of-the-road passer to a top-10 QB once he was traded from the Miami Dolphins in 2019. He threw for a career-high 33 touchdowns to just seven interceptions this season, while playing the most efficient football of his career.
When asked about what his coordinator did well during an interview with NFL Network last week, Tannehill gave Smith some serious praise.
“He’s a great coach all the way around,” said Tannehill. “Everything that you look for in a coach and a leader and a great offensive mind,” the Titans QB added, per NFL Network’s Michael Giardi.
Ryan Tannehill on Arthur Smith earlier this week: "He’s a great coach all the way around. Everything that you look for in a coach and a leader and a great offensive mind he does a good job with." Smith is the new coach of the #Falcons @nflnetwork @AroundTheNFL https://t.co/ol1I4RST9w
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) January 15, 2021
With veteran Matt Ryan in place for probably the next season or two at the least, Smith could be a very good fit for the Falcons. Ryan is entering his 14th NFL season and while the team doesn’t have the same type of rushing attack as Tennessee, Atlanta does have some elite weapons on the outside in Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley.
If Smith can add some threat of a running game to the Falcons’ offense, Ryan could potentially get back to an MVP level in 2021.
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