- Arthur Smith had a 21-30 overall record in three seasons as Falcons coach
- Before the clock struck 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time, Smith was out of 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. All three seasons under Smith, Atlanta finished with the same record and missed the playoffs.
The Falcons haven't made the playoffs since the 2017 season, a year after blowing a 28-3 lead against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
Smith was officially fired 38 minutes into Bills-Dolphins, the final game of the NFL regular season.
“These types of decisions are never easy and they never feel right,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said via a press release. “We have deep respect for Coach Smith and appreciate all the hard work and dedication he has put into the Falcons over the past three years.”
The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Arthur Smith seconds into 'Black Monday'
Smith was 21-30 as head coach of the Falcons and the team failed to make the playoffs
“He has helped build a good culture in our football team, but the results on the field have not met our expectations,” Blank continued.
“After much thought and consideration, we have determined that the best path forward for our team is new leadership in the head coaching position,” Blank concluded.
Smith's last moment on the field at the helm of the Falcons was when he got into an argument with Saints head coach Dennis Allen after New Orleans scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter after standing in victory formation.
Among the various expletives launched by Smith included “That's f***ing bulls***!”
Allen apologized after the game, but an Atlanta team led by Smith has no chance of retaliation.