Tag: Thomas Dimitroff

TD and DQ to Lead 2020 Atlanta Falcons

Article by Allison Smith

Photo from Atlanta Falcons Press Conference

December 27, 2019

 

Atlanta Falcons President and CEO Rich McKayand owner Arthur Blank held a press conference Friday, December 27, 2019 to discuss the announcement earlier in the day.  The Falcons site and Twitter announced that the team would retainDan Quinn as Head Coach, Thomas Dimitroff as General Manager.  Rich McKay will take on an increased role in football operations, where he had been mainly overseeing the new stadium.  Raheem Morris will be the Defensive Coordinator for 2020.  There was no mention of other coaches, offensively or other defensive/position coaches. 

 Mr. Blank began the press conference by stating that the last 2 seasons have been a great disappointment and as the steward of the team, he understands everyone’s disappointment.  He noted that overall since the drafting of Matt Ryan, the Falcons have been 4th in the NFC and 7th in the NFL overall in winning percentage.  He noted that consistently is important, with the right things and for the right reasons.  Mr. Blank recurring brought up the difference in the first half to the second half of the season.  Mr. Blank noted several other leading reasons for the retention of Quinn and Dimitroff.

 1-    Falcons had two/three-ish new coordinators.  Quinn wasn’t fully aware/prepared what all that would take, with defensive coordination and running the team overall and connecting all of the other moving parts.  That is when Quinn made the decision that he needed to just be the head coach and gave up the defensive coordination.

2-    The change at defensive coordinator also changed the defensive scheme, making the defense simpler, communication was better, moved some players around where they could win more easily.  “Round pegs in round holes and square pegs in square holes” as Mr. Blank said.  And also saw young talent emerge.

3-    The players played hard for the coach and the organization, even when they may not have been in the best position in the first half of the year.  With the coaching/position changes, they were able to perform better.

4-    Players believe and support the Brotherhood, each other, the coach, and the organization overall.

 With the 2017 opening of the stadium, leading the NFL in stadium experience each year, Rich McKay will now be at The Branch at least 4 days a week, working directly with Quinn and Dimitroff, who will now report directly to McKay, instead of Mr. Blank.  Mr. Blank will still be in charge and involved, but McKay will be a sounding board and leader with great experience and wisdom with his 25 years of GM and the like experience.

 Rich McKay – “We look at this season as one we will not celebrate, but one we can build on.”  You can see there was a complete change in the 2nd half of the season, lots of credit to Dan Quinn, his coaches, and the players.  McKay noted this is not a complete turn-around like he has ever seen before.  Usually, play will fall off as you are eliminated from the playoffs, but this team has played better and better.  “We looked at studies on consistency, what gives us the best chance to win 2020 and beyond.“

 Mr. Blank, “We are about winning games and winning championships.  It is my belief that this personnel will get us there more quickly than other decisions we could have made.”

 Mr. Blank sounded a smidgeon frustrated at the suggestion of constant or quick coaching changes, noting several teams that had down years, stayed the course, and were winning again.  He believes that keeping everyone in sync, keeping coaches and management together, not having draft choices from a previous regime.  He believes this is the team and the players that can win over time, noting San Francisco, New Orleans, and Carolina tough/competitive wins on the road.  The defense moved from 31st to 6th in the league.  He reviewed Dan Quinn’s self-awareness and willingness to step down from DC and HC to just HC and other changes he was willing to admit and make. 

 Mr. Blank’s only criticism of Quinn is that he made changes and decisions too late.  And “I don’t think he will make those errors again.”  McKay will help with that, meeting with Dimitroff and Quinn on these type decisions.  “The whole mid-season coaching change has little value.”  If you feel like the staff is going to make changes – as you started to see in the 2nd half of the Seattle game.  Mr. Blank stated that you could see that the players were committed.  When you see major changes and wins in 7 games, not just part of a game.  Mr. Blank believes that Quinn has learned from that and will make adjustments quicker going forward, including mid-game.  It is a great credit to these players to make the change, accept the change, and continue to play at 100% throughout the season. 

 Quinn will continue to have the final decision on the 53 man roster.  Quinn, Dimitroff, and McKay will work closely together – discussions and group decisions, no one person will impose their will on the organization.   

 Asked about the future, Mr. Blank replied that without a crystal ball, “I believe our best opportunity going forward is to keep Quinn and Dimitroff in place.” 

 With McKay’s experience in football operations, being on the competition committee, his close link to the commissioner, this is not a surprise or big change to move him back to football operations.  It is a matter of focus, not change.  With the 5 year process of planning and implementing the stadium, 80% of his time was on the stadium, but he was in touch with Quinn and Dimitroff.  Now, McKay will be making sure the processes are working and in constant working and talking contact with Quinn and Dimitroff. 

 McKay believes that the team ended up taking on too much change around all the other coaching, defense and offense leadership.    

 When asked about deadlines or number of losses to start the next season, Mr. Blank replied that there are no set numbers/parameters set for next season.  There is no reason to think that the second half of the season is not sustainable into 2020.  With the same coaches, many of the same players, free agency and the draft coming up.  

McKay is not concerned about the salary cap, he has lived in that since 1993.  He is ready to restructure, resign, evaluate anything and feels confident in the Falcons ability to manage the cap.  Mr. Blank called out several players as “guys you would not want to not have signed” Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, Grady Jarrett, Deion Jones, and Devonta Freeman….sounds like he just laid down the Free is a Falcon stamp.

 

#RiseUp

 

FalconAlley OWT

 

TD and DQ Speak Preseason

August 26, 2017

Allison Smith

Some quick outtakes from Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn’s chat with Dukes and Bell on 92.9 Friday, August 25, 2017.

On the Mercedes Benz Stadium, it is a “real tribute to Arthur on what this team stands for.”

The team, in small groups, came in to tour The Benz Nest.  Many of the guys went on Instagram Live and shared their amazement at everything from the view as they drove to The Benz, the locker room, the of course the field and the view from there.  Everyone was excited to “be home.”  As that is what Owner Arthur Blank called it….saying “Welcome Home” to not only the players, but the fans of both the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United.  Mr. Blank said this was our stadium, not his.

DQ and TD were glad to have the team inside on Friday, to get accustomed to their parking location, the locker room set up, their entrance to the field, and last but not lest to go ahead and “get caught up in the lights,” so that on Saturday, the team just comes out to play!

TD commented on this year’s teams saying, “We’ve had some great stars, but as a complete roster, speed, athletic, etc…. this is the best (overall) roster this year.

As always, DQ is focused on preparing for the game, whether game planning, or evaluating, he commented, “The routine is important, but the readiness needs to be there.”  DQ is happy to have 4 full games to evaluate all 90 players as it give them all more opportunities to show what they can do.

Both DQ and TD are happy with guard play, the Right Guard position that Ben Garland and Wes Schweitzer are competing for.  No decision on a starter will be made until after the final preseason game.  But remember, even if you aren’t the RG starter, they have both had tons of time as backup center as well.  I still wonder if DQ will name a season long starter, or use them interchangeably until one really stands out with the first team, or an obvious chemistry is seen.  Realize that in the 2 preseason games so far, most starters, even O-Line have not played very long together.  As I mentioned in FalconAlley Squawks during the offseason, but guys were pushing and supporting each other, and DQ said, “can’t be more pumped with their training camp.”

TD is excited about this defensive line.  They took a “very direct and calculated approach…..with Vic Beasley, Jr., Adrian Clayborn, Brooks Reed, then bring in Takk McKinley and Dontari Poe, making this group a “very burly, manly group.”  “They like to compete.”

Both TD and DQ are excited with the addition of Bryant Young, noting that he was a “great player, but can articulate and teach” as a coach.  And if Young isn’t enough, you know DQ is very hands on with frontline D, and by hands on, we mean he is out there literally doing drills with the team.

On new Offensive Coordinator, Steve Sarkisian, DQ said that he “knew him and knew they could work together.”  On Marquand Manual, who has now moved up to Defensive Coordinator, DQ and Manual have had “6 years together – a clear vision to know how we wanted to coach.”  Both Sark and Manual will call plays from the sideline this week.

And our quote or lesson for the day comes from Dimitroff, “You win you win.  You lose, you learn.”  Hopefully this season, we just WIN.

#RiseUp

 

Featured Image Courtesy of 92.9 The Game