It was radio silent for a few days within the Falcons organization following the decision to fire Arthur Smith, but on Thursday, the reports of interview requests came piling in.
On the offensive side of things, Ben Johnson, Bobby Slowik, and Brian Callahan will all be interviewed by the Falcons. Defensively, Atlanta will also kick the tires on Aaron Glenn, Steve Wilks, Anthony Weaver, Raheem Morris, Ejiro Evero, and most recently, they’ve requested to interview Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
Falcons requested to interview Ravens’ DC Mike Macdonald for their HC job, per source. Falcons, Titans, Commanders, Panthers and Chargers have requested Macdonald.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2024
For the die hard Georgia Bulldogs out there, they might be familiar with Mike Macdonald. He’s a UGA grade and served as a graduate assistant before eventually being named a defensive quality control assistant from 2011-2013.
Now, a decade later, he’s begun receiving head coaching interest from around the league at just 36-years-old, thanks to a fantastic tenure with the Ravens. Baltimore currently sports the #1 scoring defense in football, leading the league in sacks, a problem area for the Falcons for as long as I can remember. The Ravens also lead the league in rushing touchdowns allowed.
Mike Macdonald has spent most of his coaching career with Baltimore. After leaving Georgia in 2013, he joined the Ravens as a coaching intern. The next year, he was promoted to a defensive assistant before serving as the defensive backs coach and then linebackers coach.
In 2021, Macdonald got his first opportunity as a defensive coordinator with the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines ended that season with a top 10 defense on their way to the College Football Playoff, where they were upended by his alma mater, the Georgia Bulldogs.
After just one year with Michigan, Mike Macdonald went back to Baltimore to be the defensive coordinator, a position he has held for the last two seasons. He’s known for his creativity and is one of the bright young defensive minds in the game. Among all the Falcons defensive head coaching candidates, he’s certainly the most intriguing.
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Photo: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire
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