Falcons' Blank: Smith not on hot seat
Atlanta head coach Mike Smith isn't on the proverbial hot seat, should the Falcons failed to win a playoff game this season, team owner Arthur Blank told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The Falcons are 43-21 in Smith's four seasons as coach, the best regular-season success in franchise history. But the Falcons haven't won a playoff game in three tries.
"He's not on any hot seat," Smith said. "Coach Smith, he and [general manager Thomas Dimitroff], I particularly feel really blessed -- and I don't use that word every day, all day long -- I feel blessed having them both in place," Blank told the paper in a Q&A.
"The last four years to have the record that we've established after 42 years of not having back-to-back winning seasons, to have four of them back-to-back-to-back-to-back winning seasons and be in the playoffs three of four years, to have a coach that's been named coach of the year two out of four years in the NFL. And Thomas being named executive of the year twice the last four years have both been very impressive. I have a high degree of confidence in the partnership and the consistency of the team and the sustainability of the team we have."
