Dirty Birds Dispatch: Mike Smith 2.0, perhaps?

The Falcons universe has responded.

A lot is going on, so let’s get to it.

ON THE HIRING OF KEVIN STEFANSKI

Credit: Jeff Dean/AP

Credit: Jeff Dean/AP

I was underwhelmed with the hiring of Kevin Stefanski as the 20th head coach of the Falcons. It must be noted that I also was underwhelmed with the hiring of Mike Smith in 2008. So, me being underwhelmed may turn out to be a good thing for y’all, the fan base.

Give Stefanski credit for taking two squads to the playoffs, winning on the road at Pittsburgh and making it a one-score game against the Chiefs. There also were two coach of the year awards.

On the flip side, there were boring offenses, a 45-56 record and 8-26 mark over his final two seasons of Cleveland Browns’ football hell. Some of it was not of Stefanski’s doing.

It was the Browns’ front office, apparently with Stefanski’s approval, who shipped off Baker Mayfield after they “won” the Deshaun Watson derby in 2022. The Browns “beat out” the Falcons, Panthers and Saints by giving Watson a five-year, $230 million fully-guaranteed contract. They also had to fork over three first-round picks in the trade to the Texans.

Mayfield was 29-30 over four seasons after being selected No. 1 overall. He tossed 92 touchdowns to 56 interceptions. He was shipped off unceremoniously to Carolina for a conditional midround pick.

Stefanski took over a franchise that had 12 consecutive losing seasons dating back to 2007. When the Browns went to the playoffs after the 2020 COVID-19 season, that ended a streak of 17 seasons without a playoff berth.

The Falcons have not been to the playoffs over the past eight seasons.

BILL MUSGRAVE AND MATT RYAN

Credit: Curtis Compton/AJC file photo

Credit: Curtis Compton/AJC file photo

Now, what I liked about the hiring is that president of football Matt Ryan conducted the interviews. (I wonder, after covering him for all 14 seasons he played for the team, if he’s going to make me call him Mr. President. I might just do that anyway.)

Ryan’s quarterback coach as a rookie was Bill Musgrave, who later went to Minnesota and worked closely with Stefanski. He was Ryan’s position coach from 2008-10. He was the Vikings’ offensive coordinator from 2011-13.

Musgrave used to come to the media room and explain to me and former AJC Falcons beat reporter Steve Wyche how Ryan was coming along during his rookie season. He also was gracious and helpful with his information.

So, if Stefanski has a recommendation from Musgrave, that’s a great thing.

BAKER MAYFIELD CALLED OUT STEFANSKI

Baker Mayfield clearly didn’t think his time in Cleveland was a failure. He’s entitled to his opinion.

He called out Stefanski on X, formerly Twitter, and added some gasoline to the Bucs-Falcons rivalry (which later got even more juice when Tampa hired ex-Atlanta coordinator Zac Robinson).

But when you’re the No. 1 overall pick and end up with a 29-30 record, one trip to the playoffs and 56 interceptions, tape a countless number of Progressive insurance commercials and request a trade in a three-minute video on Instagram, that’s a train wreck of a stay.

The Browns should have taken Josh Allen.

BROWNS QB FLOW CHART

Credit: Sue Ogrocki/AP

Credit: Sue Ogrocki/AP

Find a more detailed look here. But here’s a list of the 13 starting QBs for Stefanski in Cleveland:

2020: Baker Mayfield (16 starts)

2021: Mayfield (14), Case Keenum (two), Nick Mullens (one).

2022: Jacoby Brissett (11), Deshaun Watson (six).

2023: Deshaun Watson (six), Joe Flacco (five), P.J. Walker (two), Dorian Thompson-Robinson (three), and Jeff Driskel (one)

2024: Watson (seven), Jamies Winston (seven), Thompson-Robinson (two), Bailey Zappe (one)

2025: Flacco (three), Dillon Gabriel (six) and Shedeur Sanders (seven).

MURKY FALCONS QB SITUATION

Stefanski and Kirk Cousins worked together with the Vikings in 2018 and 2019.

It’s unclear if there will be a reunion here in Atlanta because of Cousins’ contract situation. His contract recently was restructured to allow for a release with a June 1 designation.

If he’s released and doesn’t find a starting opportunity, perhaps he’ll return to the Falcons and work with Stefanski.

Cousins could start while Michael Penix Jr. is recovering from his left knee surgery.

🔗 Bonus link: How will Stefanski use the Falcons’ offensive weapons?

SUPER BOWL PREDICTION

The Rams and the Seahawks are set to play Sunday in the NFC championship game. Take the Seahawks. That defense is awesome.

The Patriots and the Broncos are scheduled to play in the AFC title game.

Quarterback Jarrett Stidham is set to start for the Broncos after Bo Nix was injured. It’s not usually very smart to count out one of Sean Payton’s teams, but the Patriots look special.

Go with Drake Maye and the Patriots.

🔮 I think Seattle will beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl on Feb. 8. More on that next week.

MAILBAG TIME

📬 From reader Ed Womack: Surely you jest 😳

Yes, the defense seemingly progressed, at least based on past ATL defensive performances of years past.

Yes, there were some individual improvements, though those may be smoke and mirror apparitions.

More importantly, however, the same defense, led by Coach (Jeff) Ulbrich, gave up a 30-0 loss against the Panthers in a game where the ATL defense was torched and the ATL offense was non-existent (OK, I can’t really place the total blame on Ulbrich for that result. Until …)

In the rematch between the teams late in the season the ATL defense was torched by Bryce Young — BRYCE YOUNG! — for almost 450 yards passing while the Falcons were preventing the Panthers from running the ball AT ALL COSTS. BRYCE YOUNG’s personal best, too.

Really — and they retained the leader of that defense?

Surely they jest!

My response: Thanks. You have to look at the foundational pieces and the progress that was made. It was a middle-of-the-pack defense. There is room for growth.

📬 From reader Ted Twombly: Who is conducting the coaching interviews — we don’t have a GM yet and not sure if Matt was in the building as he was just hired Saturday and on CBS albeit briefly yesterday. (Greg) Beadles? Arthur (Blank)? Presume (Rich McKay) not involved despite some conspiracy theorists.

Just curious. Greatly enjoy your insight and reporting on the team — hope the team gets it right this time.

Thanks and have a great week.

My response: MATT RYAN IS IN CHARGE OF THE SEARCH BASED ON WHAT BLANK SAID ON THURSDAY AND RYAN BEING HIRED LATE FRIDAY NIGHT (Don’t know why I went ALL CAPS here).

BLANK’S COMMENTS:

“Our search committee will be structured a little bit differently than it has been in the past. Still be made up of a component of people that represent our leadership in all areas of our businesses, but we’re going to put heavy emphasis, we’re hiring this president of football first. That’s the goal, and over the next couple of days we have a series of interviews set up. We want to get that person in their seat and have them lead the interviews for the head coach and general manager position going forward.”

LOCALS AT THE SENIOR BOWL

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

The Senior Bowl is set for Jan. 31 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.

Eagles senior defensive assistant/defensive line coach Clint Hurtt will serve as the National team head coach, while Saints associate head coach/running backs coach Joel Thomas will lead the American team.

Here are the locals slated to play:

⭐ Cameron Ball, DT, Tri-Cities HS, Arkansas (American)

⭐ Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia (American)

⭐ Jalen Farmer, OL, Eastside HS, Kentucky (National)

⭐ Beau Gardner, LS, Georgia (American)

⭐ Romello Height, DE, Dublin HS, Texas Tech (National). He also played at Georgia Tech

⭐ Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State (American)

⭐ Jalon Kilgore, S, Putnam County HS, South Carolina (American)

⭐ LT Overton, DL, Milton HS, Alabama (American)

⭐ VJ Payne, S, Buford HS, Kansas State (National)

⭐ Keylan Rutledge, OL, Georgia Tech (National)

⭐ Brett Thorson, P, Georgia (American)

⭐ Zion Young, DE, Westlake HS, Missouri (American)

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Credit: Jack Dempsey/AP

Credit: Jack Dempsey/AP

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