The clock struck midnight for Arthur Smith and the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons announced that they fired head coach Arthur Smith after going 7-10 this season.
“Decisions like this are never easy and they never feel good. 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," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said.
"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.”
The Falcons had an outside shot of winning the division heading into Week 18 and were +750 to win the division at DraftKings heading into the week.
After a 48-17 loss to the Saints, Blank decided he'd seen enough from Smith.
Smith was involved in a controversial handshake with Saints head coach Dennis Allen after the game. Smith was notably upset with Allen for allowing the Saints to score on the final play of the game. It was evident after the game the touchdown was against Allen's demands.
#Falcons Arthur Smith is HEATED that the #Saints scored a last-second TD.
"Thats F**in BullSh**"pic.twitter.com/o1SwyiB6fu
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 7, 2024
Although it could have been the final straw, it was likely not the reason Blank decided to move on from Allen.
The Falcons, at 5-12, were the worst team against the spread in the NFL this season. This season was also the first time the Falcons lost 12 games against the spread since 1984.
Since Arthur Smith was hired by the Falcons in 2021, he is the least profitable coach ATS in the NFL of 52 head coaches ⤵️ https://t.co/rZHwx155DIpic.twitter.com/Bxn7Et7QFb
— Evan Abrams (@EvanHAbrams) January 8, 2024
