The Atlanta Falcons became the first NFL team to conduct a Black Monday firing in 2024 when they parted ways with head coach Arthur Smith on Monday at 12:01 a.m. ET. Smith posted three consecutive 7-10 campaigns before being handed his walking papers.
Smith’s loss will be another coach’s gain. Who are the top candidates to take over for Smith as the Falcons’ head coach?
Who Will Replace Arthur Smith as Falcons HC?
Bill Belichick, HC, New England Patriots
Although Bill Belichick is still technically the Patriots’ head coach as of Monday, the future Hall of Famer might be wrapping up his multi-decade stint in New England. Falcons owner Arthur Blank isn’t getting younger and could be highly motivated to bring one of the sport’s greatest coaches to Atlanta.
Ben Volin of the Boston Globe has long flagged the possibility of Belichick landing with the Falcons, and the match makes sense. Thomas Dimitroff, Atlanta’s general manager from 2006-20, was a former Patriots executive, so Blank is well aware of how things are done in New England.
Ben Johnson, OC, Detroit Lions
Ben Johnson probably could have secured a head coaching job last offseason had he wanted to. The Lions’ play-caller interviewed with the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts and was considered a frontrunner with the Carolina Panthers but ultimately opted to stick in Detroit.
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Johnson has helped revitalize Jared Goff’s career and developed a juggernaut of a Lions offense that doesn’t feature a classic WR1 on the outside. By deploying Amon-Ra St. Brown and rookie TE Sam LaPorta in the right ways and coordinating one of the NFL’s most diverse run games, Johnson has created an offensive attack with few rivals in the league.
Mike Macdonald, DC, Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore’s defense ranked first in points and yards per play, second in efficiency, and posted a league-leading 60 sacks despite fielding Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy as its top edge rushers. NFL teams needing a head coach may want to look at the coordinator who led that effort.
Mike Macdonald — with the Ravens from 2014-2018 before spending a season as the University of Michigan’s DC — returned to Baltimore last year and turned the club’s defense into an elite unit. Macdonald’s schematic flexibility is impressive, as is his attention to detail, which Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey called “obsessive.”
Todd Monken, OC, Baltimore Ravens
Macdonald isn’t the only Baltimore coordinator in line for head coaching interviews. Todd Monken, back in the NFL after winning two NCAA titles as Georgia’s offensive play-caller, guided Lamar Jackson to a likely MVP trophy in 2023.
Monken worked through myriad injuries on the offensive side of the ball while determining how to best deploy new additions like first-round rookie wideout Zay Flowers and veteran pass catcher Odell Beckham Jr. The head coach at Southern Miss from 2013-15, Monken’s wide variety of experience and offensive designs will get him looks around the league.
Raheem Morris, DC, Los Angeles Rams
Raheem Morris has done it all in the football world. He became one of the youngest head coaches in NFL history when he took over the Buccaneers at 32. He spent five seasons at the collegiate level. He even spent time in Atlanta, working on the offensive side of the ball as the Falcons’ passing game coordinator from 2015 to 2019.
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Morris’ Rams defense is full of relatively anonymous players besides Aaron Donald, but the unit finished in the middle of the pack in most defensive metrics. Morris may also be able to promise an offensive coordinator candidate from the Sean McVay tree.
Bobby Slowik, OC, Houston Texans
While Slowik has only one year of play-calling experience under his belt, it’s hard to argue with results. The Texans’ OC brought the Kyle Shanahan offense to Houston, helping guide C.J. Stroud to what could be an Offensive Rookie of the Year-winning campaign.
Given how fellow Shanahan acolytes DeMeco Ryans (Slowik’s boss) and Mike McDaniel have worked out as head coaches, Slowik will be targeted.
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