Thomas Dimitroff was the Atlanta Falcons’ GM for 12 seasons and the team made the playoffs six times across that span. However, he failed to return to the playoffs after 2017 and was fired midday through 2020 with Dan Quinn.
Dimitroff—who was previously the director of scouting in New England—had a lot of draft hits, but just as many draft misses. The 59-year-old was responsible for drafting players like Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Desmond Trufant, A.J Terrell, and Chris Lindstrom, but also misfired on players like Takk McKinley, Peria Jerry, and Sam Baker.
But after four years away from the NFL, Dimitroff is finally returning to the sport—and the NFC South. It was reported on Tuesday morning that the New Orleans Saints have hired him as a consultant for current GM Mickey Loomis. After decades of seeing the Aints as an adversary, he goes on to join them.
Source: The Saints have hired ex-Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff as a consultant. Dimitroff spent 3-plus years as SumerSports CEO before leaving the company in April, and was with New Orleans thru camp.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 2, 2025
He'll help GM Mickey Loomis in all facets. Team will announce the hire soon.
Thomas Dimitroff joining the Saints’ front office is a bitter pill for fans to swallow
After being fired by the Dirty Birds, the Ohio native spent over three years as the CEO and President of Football Operations of the football analytics company SumerSports while working with hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones. He also launched a podcast called "The GM Journey" which interviewed general managers across the sport.
It always seemed like an NFL return was on the horizon, though. Dimitroff interviewed for both the Jets and Titans’ GM vacancies this winter, but both opted for other candidates, with Gang Green hiring Darren Mougey and Tennessee hiring Mike Borgonzi. But this Saints’ job marks his official return to an NFL front office after nearly five years since his Falcons firing.
The “consultant” role has become a common pathway forward for coaches and general managers who get fired. Mike Vrabel was a Browns consultant in 2024 before accepting the Patriots’ head coaching job, and Robert Saleh was a consultant in Green Bay after the Jets fired him. It could be a short-term agreement until he receives another GM opportunity, or just another opportunity to scout college talent.
The Saints are clearly looking to leverage Dimitroff’s scouting and roster-building expertise as they look to flesh out their roster for expected QB of the future Tyler Shough. Alvin Kamara is getting older and Chris Olave has struggled to stay healthy, so bringing in a guy who drafted both Julio and Calvin Ridley in hopes of adding more weapons to the offense is a good idea.
For Atlanta fans, it’s a tough reality: a man who helped shape some of the team’s most memorable rosters is now on the opposite sideline, quietly helping a division rival build its future. As much as it might sting, fans can remember that the Falcons are expected to fare far better in 2025—Dimitroff or not.