The Falcons can make the playoffs if they beat the Panthers on Sunday afternoon.
If they don’t win that game, however, the team could be making a change at head coach. Mike Smith doesn’t believe he’s coaching for his job against Carolina, but owner Arthur Blank may be feeling differently.
Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN report that the Falcons have retained search firm Korn Ferry to help identify coaching candidates in the event that the team does part ways with Smith. Korn Ferry has been involved with several job searches around the league and in college football, including the University of Michigan’s search for a new head coach that appears to have settled on Jim Harbaugh.
The report doesn’t indicate that a coaching change will be made if the Falcons lose on Sunday, but it’s hard not to see that when reading between the lines.
There’s also no word on General Manager Thomas Dimitroff’s standing. The Falcons are also working with former Eagles and Browns exec Joe Banner as a consultant basis on stadium and business issues, although that role could take on a new shape in the event Banner decides that wholesale changes are needed.