Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith reportedly is finished with the team. CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported Sunday Falcons owner Arthur Blank will pursue a "big-name" head coach to replace Smith as result of the team's horrible start.
The Falcons are 2-6 after falling Oct. 26 to the Detroit Lions. While Atlanta is still in contention - only two games behind NFC South leaders New Orleans Saints - in the division, not many hold any hope of the Falcons reaching the postseason. With a new stadium in the works, Blank reportedly is ready to shake up things in his organization, starting with the hiring of a new head coach.
"(Blank) has become increasingly frustrated with his team's descent into the bottom rung of the NFL and is irate about his 2014 product, according to a source close to him," La Canfora wrote Sunday. "Coach Mike Smith is not expected to be back next season, according to the source, with his job security now (becoming) a regular topic of conversation in Atlanta. Blank is mulling a move for a big-name head coach to help usher his team into the new stadium he is constructing.
"Should he land an A-list head coach, the immediate question becomes would that coach be comfortable with the front office as presently constructed, or would he want to hire his own general manager instead."
La Canfora added the source said Blank would be willing to do whatever is necessary to convince a big-name coach to come to Atlanta.
One name mentioned by La Canfora as a potential candidate was San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, whom the 49ers seemingly appear willing to part with in a trade.
The Falcons, coming off their bye week, visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week.
