- Arthur Smith had an overall record of 21-30 in three seasons as coach of the Falcons
- Before the clock struck 12:01 Eastern Time, Smith had left his post in Atlanta
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The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Arthur Smith seconds into “Black Monday” after his team lost 48-17 to the Saints on Sunday.
The Falcons finished the season 7-10. Atlanta finished all three years under Smith with the same record and missed the playoffs.
The Falcons have not made the postseason since the 2017 season, a year after blowing a 28-3 lead against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
News of Smith's firing broke just 38 minutes after the end of the Bills' game against the Dolphins, the final game of the NFL regular season.
“Decisions like this are never easy and they never feel good,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. “We have great respect for Coach Smith and appreciate all of the hard work and dedication he has put into the Falcons over the last three years.”
The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Arthur Smith seconds into “Black Monday”
As head coach of the Falcons, Smith was 21-30 and the team did not appear in the playoffs
“He contributed to building a good culture on our football team, but the results on the field did not meet our expectations,” Blank continued.
“After careful thought and consideration, we have come to the conclusion that the best path forward for our team is new leadership in the head coaching position,” Blank concluded.
Smith's final appearance on the field as a head coach resulted in him becoming involved in an argument with fellow Saints forward Dennis Allen after New Orleans scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter – despite being in victory formation.
“They’re f***ing cops!” Smith said during an angry tirade.