Atlanta Falcons need to channel the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason
By Joe Beasley
The Atlanta Falcons are going into the offseason looking for a new GM and head coach.
The previous regime of Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff did a satisfactory job with the Atlanta Falcons but satisfactory doesn’t win championships.
The Atlanta Falcons are in need of a big-time culture change. As you look around the NFL, there are plenty of teams the Falcons can look at and say “we need to be like that.” The Chiefs have a young explosive nucleus with no drama.
The Patriots outside of this year have dominated the NFL for the better part of two decades. The Ravens have done an excellent job in drafting and developing talent. While those are all good franchises to emulate, there’s only one logical team Arthur Blank should try to emulate and that’s the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers are led by Mike Tomlin, who has yet to finish a season below .500 no matter who is on the field for him. Tomlin knows how to talk to the media and while he always shows support for his players, he also knows how to hold them accountable for their actions.
The Atlanta Falcons need someone with player development expertise.
Look at guys like Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, James Conner, Martavis Bryant, and Diontae Johnson. None of these guys were first-round picks but all were able to make an impact on the success of the Steelers.
The Atlanta Falcons need to find someone like Tomlin to coach this team, someone who shares the same values as Tomlin does as a coach. General manager Kevin Colbert has been the Steelers GM since 2000; he’s the only GM in the history of the franchise and there’s a reason why he’s stuck around for more than two decades.
You don’t hear Steelers fans moan and groan about the decisions and choices that Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert make because they make great decisions.
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The Steelers organization is one of the best in sports. From the top-down, they are a model franchise led by a coach who preaches hard work, dedication, and grit all of which the Falcons are in dire need of. If Arthur Blank can find a coach and GM duo that’s similar to what the Steelers have, there’s no doubt that the Falcons best days are ahead.