Following the firing of head coach Arthur Smith, the Falcons could be looking at a whole new coaching staff next season, but it appears they aren’t ready to let go of the guys in the building just yet as they are blocking several assistant from interviewing for other positions.
It began when the Giants requested to interview offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford, who has earned a ton of respect around Flowery Branch, turning the Falcons offensive line from a piss poor unit to one of the best in the league.
The Giants requested to interview Falcons OL Coach Dwayne Ledford for the same position but the Falcons denied the request, per source. pic.twitter.com/sWywfPt9Cb
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) January 10, 2024
But he’s not the only one. The Falcons have also blocked defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen from interviewing for the same position in Jacksonville.
According to a source, the Falcons blocked DC Ryan Nielsen from interviewing for the open Jaguars DC job.
Nielsen led a rejuvenation of Atlanta’s defense last season.
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) January 11, 2024
Nielsen was handed the reigns to the Falcons defense this past season after Dean Pees decided to retire. It was his first time as a defensive coordinator, and he delivered more than anyone could have imagined, turning the Falcons into a borderline top 10 defense after fielding bottom five defenses in the two previous seasons under Pees.
The influx of talent the Falcons brought in via free agency was a big part of the resurgence, but Nielsen was also a primary catalyst in the improvement. If his success continues — no matter where he coaches — he’ll be receiving interview requests from around the league for open head coaching positions soon.
It’s understandable why the Falcons don’t want to let Ledford and Nielsen go, but it’s also not fair to them. They are fantastic coaches who are coveted around the league, and the Falcons can’t guarantee them anything until a new coach is hired. Most likely, the new coach will want to bring in their own guys, and by the time he is hired, other openings around the league will be filled up. It’s not the proper way to do business unless the Falcons guarantee they will be around next season.
“They are blocking, but they are full of (expletive),” a source said via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “They aren’t saying we’re keeping you, either. This is not what you do.”
We’ll see how this pans out as the offseason continues, but if the Falcons hire a coach and he cleans house, leaving coaches like Ledford and Nielsen out of a job in 2024, it will be a terrible look for the organization and could affect future coaches from considering Atlanta as a landing spot.
—
Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.