The Atlanta Falcons announced Friday they have hired former UNC offensive lineman Arthur Smith as the team’s new head coach, following two stellar years as the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator.

Smith played offensive guard for the Tar Heels from 2001-2005, although foot injuries severely limited his availability to contribute in games. He began his coaching career in 2006 as a graduate assistant at UNC.

After short stints as a defensive assistant with the Washington Redskins (2007-08) and at Ole Miss (2010) in the college ranks, he joined the Titans organization in 2011 as a defensive quality control coach.

Since 2012, when he became an offensive quality control coach for Tennessee, Smith worked his way up the ladder until finally becoming the Titans’ offensive coordinator in 2019.

The Titans made an appearance in the AFC Championship Game last season and made the playoffs again this season behind an offense that ranked fourth in the NFL with 30.7 points per game.

Tennessee running back Derrick Henry also made history by becoming just the eighth player to ever rush for 2,000 yards in a single season. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill also saw a career resurgence under Smith, while second-year receiver A.J. Brown has blossomed into one of the league’s top players at his position.

Atlanta fired former head coach Dan Quinn — who took the team to the Super Bowl just four years ago — back in October after he failed to make the playoffs in 2018 and 2019 and started 2020 with an 0-5 record. The team would go on to finish 4-12.

Smith will inherit a roster with aging superstars like quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones, as well as the No. 4 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

 

Photo via Associated Press

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