Assessing the Atlanta Falcons Options for their Head Coaching Vacancy
Probable: These should be viewed as the most likely candidates based on their coaching history and fit with the Falcons
Mike Vrabel – After a strong start to his coaching career, Mike Vrabel dealt with numerous injuries, curious team-building decisions by the front office around him, and the ghost of Ryan Tannehill over the past two seasons. In a somewhat surprising move, Tennessee decided to move on from Vrabel, and he instantly became one of the top candidates for head coaching positions in the league.
He’s a coach who players seemingly love, and he could start rebuilding the culture in Atlanta after the failed Arthur Smith experiment. A hiring of Vrabel would likely require a strong offensive mind to come in for play-calling purposes, but the team could use some of the consistency and leadership that Vrabel offers.
Ben Johnson – Throughout the past two seasons, Ben Johnson has helped guide a Lions’ offense to strong numbers and an NFC North title this season. He has found a way to turn Jared Goff into a productive quarterback again and overcame injuries and absences amongst his skill players and offensive line.
He helped manage a two-back system this year which could easily translate to Atlanta’s offense with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. The team could use a creative offensive mind to pair with Ryan Nielsen and at 37 years old, he’s still young enough to relate to his players while having extensive coaching experience in the league.
Todd Monken – On the flip side of Johnson, Todd Monken is 57 but his coaching in Baltimore this season has made him one of the hot names on the coaching circuit. He helped guide Lamar Jackson to an MVP-worthy season and the team is one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl next month. If Monken and the offense look good throughout their playoff run, it’ll be hard to imagine he doesn’t get a head coaching gig somewhere.
Monken has extensive experience within both college and professional football, and he has worked with a variety of systems, coaches, and players. Although he hasn’t gotten a shot at a head coaching gig yet, this could be his best chance based on his recent success at Georgia and this year with the Ravens.