Should the Texans consider hiring former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff?
The Houston Texans have another general manager prospect that has hit the open market.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Atlanta Falcons have fired general manager Thomas Dimitroff after the NFC South club lost 23-16 at home to the Carolina Panthers to suffer their sixth 0-5 start in franchise history, and their first since 1997. Owner Arthur Blank decided he had seen enough of what Dimitroff brought to the franchise since his 2008. Coach Dan Quinn was also fired on Sunday afternoon.
The Texans were the first team to fire their coach and general manager when they gave Bill O’Brien the pink slip on Oct. 5. Now, there is a second team in the NFL that is looking for a new coach and general manager.
Houston took a look at Martin Mayhew and Ray Farmer after the firing of Brian Gaine on June 7, 2019. Between the two of them, they cobbled together two playoff appearances during Mayhew’s stint with the Detroit Lions as general manager from 2008-15, and Farmer’s tenure with the Cleveland Browns from 2014-15.
Dimitroff is different. The Falcons had never strung together consecutive winning seasons in franchise history. After Dimitroff was hired, and he hired Mike Smith as coach, Atlanta posted a winning record from 2008-12, qualifying for the playoffs four times, earning the No. 1 seed twice, and getting to the NFC Championship Game once.
Even though Dan Quinn will forever have the 28-3 blown lead in the Super Bowl forever around his neck, the broad picture is Atlanta’s best stretch of success in franchise history happened with Dimitroff making the hires, buying the groceries.
O’Brien merely maintained what general manager Rick Smith and coach Gary Kubiak built with division titles and wild-card playoff wins. The Texans need leader in the front office that can build upon what they have done since 2002, not simply maintain it. Dimitroff hired two coaches that got the Falcons at least to the conference title game.
The downside to hiring Dimitroff is he may have finally lost it. Since 2013, the Falcons have failed to make the playoffs five times, which is totally unacceptable when there is a franchise quarterback in Matt Ryan and a powerful target in Julio Jones.
Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair will have to evaluate all options, but Dimitroff should definitely be one of them.
