Getty Head coach Arthur Smith of the Atlanta Falcons stands on the sideline.
Aside from perfecting their roster, the Atlanta Falcons are also shaping up their coaching staff and hired a new offensive line coach in Shawn Flaherty, according to NFL Networks’ Mike Garafolo.
Flaherty comes to Atlanta after spending the last three seasons as an O-line assistant with the Miami Dolphins.
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Could Flaherty Bring a Stud TE With Him?
As Garafolo mentioned in his report on February 24, Flaherty is the son of one of the NFL’s most legendary offensive line coaches, Pat Flaherty, who has been bouncing around the league for 20 years.
Pat’s son tagged along with him to Miami and ended up sticking around, even after his dad was fired.
According to Shawn Flaherty’s Instagram, he seems to be pretty friendly with Dolphins’ star tight end Mike Gesicki, who sent Flaherty off with a farewell post.
Mike Gesicki says goodbye to assistant OL coach Shawn Flaherty, who is heading to Atlanta.
(via. Gesicki’s IG story)
While paired with a struggling quarterback all of the 2021 season, Gesicki managed to catch 73 of 106 targets for 780 yards and two touchdowns. And now come March 16, he will be free to sign with any team as an unrestricted free agent.
With Hayden Hurst en route to FA himself, the Falcons are in need of another receiving tight end to pair with Kyle Pitts and Gesicki would be the perfect fit.
However, the Dolphins stud is projected to land a deal worth $11 million annually on a multi-year contract, per Spotrac, and Atlanta just doesn’t have that much to offer up. Thus, unfortunately, Flaherty being buddy-buddy with Gesicki won’t be enough to get him to the ‘A.’
Atlanta Adds a New Face to Their Front Office
The Falcons also hired ex-Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace this week who will serve under Atlanta’s GM Terry Fontenot as a senior personnel executive.
Pace is no stranger to the Falcons’ front office, however, after working with Fontenot in New Orleans for 13 seasons. However, after 15 total years with the Saints, Pace left to take the Bears GM job in 2015 where he was up until he was fired following the 2021 season.
Chicago decided to move on from Pace after seven seasons as their GM and a record total of 48-65 while failing to record a playoff win.
Pace also joins some other former Bears coaches in Atlanta, including offensive coordinator Dave Ragone, quarterbacks coach Charles London, running backs coach Michael Pitre and outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino.
Not to mention ex-Bears general manager Phil Emery, whom Pace replaced in Chicago and is now also working as a senior personnel executive under Fontenot.
Some notable talent that Pace is known for drafting to the windy city includes safety Adrian Amos (5th round), center Cody Whitehair (2nd), safety Eddie Jackson (4th), running back Tarik Cohen (5th). linebacker Roquan Smith (1st), guard James Daniels (2nd), running back David Montgomery (3rd) and wide receiver Darnell Mooney (5th).
He is also known for reeling in some star free agents in edge Robert Quinn, tight end Trey Burton, wide receiver Allen Robinson and defensive tackle Akiem Hicks
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