Mike Smith

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Smith's first season in Atlanta set a high bar. He started rookie Matt Ryan against the Detroit Lions, securing a 34–21 victory where the Falcons amassed 216 yards of total offense in the first quarter alone. That year, stars like Michael Turner and Roddy White helped secure an 11–5 record, though they fell to the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card Round. The following year, despite injuries to Ryan and Turner, Smith guided the team to a 9–7 finish, marking the first time in franchise history with consecutive winning seasons. By 2010, the Falcons achieved an NFC-best 13–3 record, capturing their second division title before losing to the eventual Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round.

In Their Own Story

The 2012 season stands as the peak of Smith's Atlanta tenure. He led the team to another league-best 13–3 record and secured his first-ever postseason win as a head coach, narrowly defeating the Seattle Seahawks 30–28 in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. This victory propelled the Falcons to their third all-time appearance in the NFC Championship Game, where they hosted the San Francisco 49ers for the first time in franchise history. Despite holding a commanding 17–0 lead in the second quarter, Atlanta fell 28–24. That same year, Smith reached a major milestone on October 28 by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles to earn his 50th win, surpassing Dan Reeves to become the winningest coach in Falcons history by number of wins.

Reader's Guide

Smith's coaching journey began after playing linebacker at East Tennessee State University and briefly with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. His philosophy emphasized defensive discipline, which translated immediately to Atlanta. However, the trajectory shifted after 2012; the team slumped to a 4–12 record in 2013. In 2014, despite finishing 6–10 and losing the NFC South title game to Carolina 34–3 with both teams having losing records, Smith was fired on December 29 following two consecutive losing seasons.

Did You Know?

• Smith reached his 50th career win as a head coach in just 71 games, the third-fastest pace since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
• In his debut game, Smith used his first-ever coach's challenge successfully to overturn a ruling against Roddy White, keeping a drive alive.
• Smith is the brother-in-law of former NFL head coach Brian Billick, whom he served under as linebackers' coach for the Baltimore Ravens.
• He was named the Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year in 2008, 2010, and 2012, winning the award three times from a pool of coaches and executives.