Former Falcons coach Mike Smith blasts Texans for firing Lovie Smith
Count Mike Smith in as another former NFL coach not pleased with the way the Houston Texans parted with Lovie Smith.
The former Atlanta Falcons coach from 2008-14 joined the BallFather Podcast presented by Sportskeeda to talk about how the Texans have made themselves an unattractive destination for coaches, and that the Smith firing continues to reinforce that narrative.
“It’s impossible (rebuilding a franchise in one season),” Smith said. “I know everybody wants instant gratification in the NFL but it just blows my mind that there’s been two one-and-dones in the same organization.”
The Texans fired Bill O’Brien as coach and general manager on Oct. 5 after starting the 2020 campaign 0-4. Rather than retaining interim coach Romeo Crennel after the season, new general manager Nick Caserio hired former Baltimore Ravens passing game coordinator and receivers coach David Culley. The Texans fired Culley after a 4-13 finish, and then promoted Smith from defensive coordinator to coach after a month-long coaching search that concluded in February 2022.
“I just don’t understand,” Smith said. “That’s showing that you have no loyalty, no patience, and no reasonable chance to change the trajectory of an organization as a head football coach.”
The last team to hire three different coaches in as many seasons was the San Francisco 49ers. After going through Jim Tomsula (2015) and Chip Kelly (2016), the 49ers hired Kyle Shanahan, who was the offensive coordinator for the Falcons. It is worth noting that a new general manager, John Lynch, hired Shanahan. It is unprecedented since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger for Caserio to have three cracks at hiring a coach in as many seasons.
Smith went 67-50 with the Falcons and won NFL Coach of the Year in his first season with Atlanta. During Smith’s tenure, the Falcons won two NFC South titles, qualified for the playoffs four times, secured home-field advantage twice, and hosted the 2012 NFC Championship Game.
