The Falcons are transitioning into a new era under head coach Arthur Smith, who now must fill his staff with assistant coaches who share his vision for the team.
As reported by D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Falcons will not retain offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and six assistant coaches. Greg Knapp, Chad Walker, Tosh Lupoi, Mayur Chaudhari, Chris Morgan and Aden Durden will not be returning in 2021.
Durden, the 2020 Atlanta linebackers coach, will join the Cowboys staff as an assistant under Dan Quinn, who has just taken over the position of defensive coordinator in Dallas.
These moves aren’t shocking as every incoming head coach would rather surround themselves with like-minded assistants. Atlanta has already been linked to various coordinators and assistants on both sides of the ball.
Considering how rare it is to keep assistant coaches, it’s worth noting that Smith himself survived three different head coaches while serving as an assistant in Tennessee.