ATLANTA — The Falcons say they are parting ways with Coach Mike Smith Monday after a dismal season.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank said the team has released Smith from his contract.
“Smitty’s contributions to our club, team and city over the last seven years are numerous,” Blank said. “His accomplishments on the field made him the most successful coach in the 49-year history of the Falcons, and we are grateful for the foundation he has laid for us for the future.”
Blank said Smith has "laid a new and stronger foundation" for the team.
Smith acknowledged the results have not met the standards he set with winning records in each of his first five years.
"This is a business about winning football games and that's how you're judged," Smith said. "I understand that, and I'll leave it at that. ... This is a business about what have you done for me lately."
The Falcons lost to the Panthers 34-3 Sunday, eliminating a chance for the playoffs.
Smith said he was "very disappointed" in the game and called the performance "not acceptable at all."
Though Smith won two division titles and made four playoff appearances in his first five years, those achievements weren't enough to prevent Atlanta's collapse over the last two seasons.
Smith will leave as the winningest coach in the Falcons' 49-year history.
"It's not a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact that Smitty was the most successful coach in franchise history," Blank said.
Blank said they have already started searching for the next head coach.
"We are proceeding with the search for a new head coach starting today," Blank said.
Smith had plenty of support in the locker room after the loss to Carolina. Matt Ryan was the team’s first draft pick under Smith’s regime.
“The seven years I have been here, he has been first class,” Ryan said. “He shows up every day. He works really hard, he is incredibly consistent. You know where you stand with him as a player and I think the guys respect that. I have nothing but a lot of respect for Mike.”
Hours before the team was set to face Carolina for the NFC South title on Sunday, it was reported by ESPN that the Falcons had retained search firm Korn Ferry about a potential head-coaching search.
Korn Ferry, an international firm, has an office in Atlanta.
Korn Ferry has been involved with several NFL and college coaching searches, including the University of Michigan’s prolonged hunt for a new head coach.
Some of the potential candidates to replace Smith include Arizona defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Seattle defensive coordiantor Dan Quinn, Stanford head coach David Shaw, Indianapolis offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton.
Blank, who has questioned the team’s toughness under Smith, may be interested in talking to former New York Jets coach Rex Ryan. He was interviewed for the position in 2008, but the Falcons went with Smith instead.
Other candidates could include Denver offensive coordinator Adam Gase and New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who was a major flap in a brief stop in Denver.
Smith joined the Falcons as its 14th head coach in 2008. During his seven seasons with the Falcons, the team compiled a 66-46 (.589) regular season record and captured two NFC South Division titles. Smith was the first Falcons head coach to put together back-to-back winning seasons, and he went on to add three more for a string of five over his seven years. In his first stint as an NFL head coach, Smith reached the 50-win milestone in 71 games, the third-fastest head coach to accomplish the feat since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
Prior to joining the Falcons, Smith served as the defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars for five seasons (2003-2007). Before joining Jacksonville, he spent four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens defense (1999-2002) and contributed to the team’s first Super Bowl championship in 2000.
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