Will Arthur Smith get fired? Insider provides update on Falcons HC’s future

The current head coach of the Atlanta Falcons arrived in 2021 from the Tennessee Titans, where, as offensive coordinator, he oversaw the the emergence of Derrick Henry as one of the best running backs in the league.

Since then, he has had consecutive 7-10 seasons, and with the Falcons sitting at 4-6 and losing three straight before their bye week, there have been doubts regarding his future. But according to The Athletic's Jeff Schultz, Smith is here to stay:

"There has been no 'Win now, or else' mandate from owner Arthur Blank to coach Arthur Smith in recent days. There won’t be. There shouldn’t be. Smith is not going to get fired this week, or next week, or anytime soon. In fact, the only way Smith isn’t back as the team’s coach in 2024 is if there’s evidence players are tuning him out, or the team completely unravels."

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Arthur Smith speaks up on criticism of his tenure with Falcons

Today's head coaches are having to deal with a greatly expanded online media community that will excoriate them after a loss (or sometimes even a win). The New England Patriots' Bill Belichick has been the subject of calls for retirement ever since Tom Brady's 2020 departure, but they have been greatly magnified by the teams 2-8 start three seasons later.

But for Arthur Smith, the recent criticism of him is nothing that he has not heard before. He told The Athletic:

"I'm an old lineman—I'm used to getting my ass ripped. In the old days, it was just you writing a column. Now there's 7,000 forums for outrage. I get it. But you can't worry about everything around you, things you can't control. Like I said earlier, if you're worried about that stuff, don't sign up for professional sports."

However, he did acknowledge his need to improve in certain aspects:

"The offense and the quarterback get a lot of attention, but it also goes back to looking at yourself as a head coach. There are things I can do to manage the game better. But ultimately I need to be a better head coach, too."

The Falcons return against the New Orleans Saints on November 26.