Longtime Atlanta Falcons' owner Arthur Blank has received his fair share of flack for the team's lack of success over the years, but not all of it is warranted. He's one of the more beloved owners in the game by the players, and it appears like he's ready to make genuine changes to the organization.
As he evaluates the futures of Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot in Atlanta, the 83-year-old is taking a long look in the mirror. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported that Blank has brought in the consulting firm Sportology to conduct an overall health check on the Falcons' football operations.
Breer also followed that up by saying the health check is ongoing, but admitted it's unknown how these findings will play a role in determining how things will proceed.
"Time will tell what this means for GM Terry Fontenot and coach Raheem Morris, but there’s plenty of buzz that some level of change is coming, with the team at 6–9, assured of its eighth consecutive season under .500 and home for the playoffs."Albert Breer
Considering that the Dirty Birds are currently 6-9 and amid an eight-year playoff drought, it's reassuring to know that Blank is looking from in to rectify the problems that have plagued the organization for years. But fans won't be satisfied until the Morris drama is finally a thing of the past.
Arthur Blank is displaying commitment to fix the Falcons' problems
Something worth noting is that Blank has a history of working with Sportology. They've partnered to work on the Falcons in the past, but he also used the same firm to work on both the MLS' Atlanta United and his new NWSL expansion team he was awarded, but they are still an external source.
It's not like Blank himself is assessing the operations, because that would be a massive conflict of interest. But some of the people who are conducting the search have executive backgrounds, which means they are well aware of how a front office and a professional sports franchise should operate.
Breer also revealed that Chelsea executive Mike Forde is the founder of Sportology, and that former Texans' GM Rick Smith is one of the firm's partners. And his report is eerily similar to what NFL Insider James Palmer revealed on 680 The Fan on Tuesday.
Given many fans have been clamoring for change and believed that Blank wasn't listening to their frustration, this is a positive sign. Even two straight wins hasn't changed the fact that significant changes are on the horizon, which means the Falcons could look drastically different in a few weeks from now.