Mike Smith

Biography

As the winds of change swept through the Atlanta Falcons facility on a winter’s day in January of 2008 after a dismal 4-12 season, a new head coach with a powerful game plan stepped to the forefront to face the challenge. The resurgence of a wounded franchise was dependant on this plan and its proper execution. That day signaled not only a new chapter in Falcons football, but also a drastic change in philosophy.

Mike Smith’s insistence on not looking back on the past and instead focusing on a positive present moving forward was a theme that he delivered early to his players at his first team meeting. It was there that the affable, passionate and communicative coach began the process of changing the culture.

“If you change the culture, you change behaviors. If you change behaviors, you change habits.” – Mike Smith
 
Smith would plot a course that day for a reversal of fortunes that would see the Falcons meteoric rise to an 11-5 record and postseason berth for the first time since 2004.

Under Smith’s determined leadership in 2008, the Falcons enjoyed one of the biggest turnarounds that the NFL has ever witnessed. The seven win swing going from 4-12 to 11-5 is tied for the fourth-best mark (at +7 wins) in the League for a rookie head coach since 1978. Smith’s 11 victories is tied for the top mark with five other head coaches for the best record for a rookie head coach taking over a team that finished below .500 the previous season. And only three rookie head coaches in NFL history had more wins in their first campaign on the sidelines than Smith.

Smith’s firm guidance at the helm allowed the Falcons to make several improvements from the previous season which included points per game average, rushing yards per game average, passing touchdowns to interception ratio and fewest sacks allowed. He had his team ready to play in every game in 2008 as the Falcons were tops in the League in first quarter points scored and registered a streak of holding opponents in 12 of 15 games to under 20 yards rushing in the opening quarter of games.

The shrewd drafting of quarterback Matt Ryan and astute free agent signing of running Michael Turner were two aggressive moves that paid immediate dividends and laid a solid foundation under Smith’s direction in his first season.  Ryan became the consensus NFL Rookie of the Year playing beyond his years with almost 3,500 yards passing and Turner finished second in MVP voting with 1,699 rushing yards and a franchise-best 17 rushing touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl while collecting All-Pro accolades.

For his coaching efforts, Smith earned the prestigious Associated Press and Sporting News 2008 Coach of the Year honors, as well as NFC Coach of the Year by the respected KC 101 Club.

Smith boasts a strong coaching background that includes 10 NFL seasons and 27 total years in football. His defensive track record has witnessed a remarkable amount of success as he helped guide the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl XXXV Championship in 2000 and led the Jacksonville Jaguars defense to top 10 rankings in several categories (overall defense, points allowed and rushing defense) during his tenure. With Smith’s help, the Jaguars had the sixth-most wins in the NFL (from 2004-07) with 40 victories.

From 2003–2007, Smith served as the Defensive Coordinator for the Jaguars and led a defensive unit which ranked fourth in overall defense (296.6), third in offensive points allowed (16.1) and fifth in rushing defense (99.3) from 2003–2006. In his last season in Jacksonville in 2007, the Jaguars rushing defense continued that trend as the unit ranked sixth in the AFC, holding opponents to 100.3 yards per game. The Jaguars defense under Smith’s direction also finished 12th in the NFL in total defense in ‘07.

In 2006, Jacksonville ranked second in the League in total defense (283.6), which was the highest mark for the franchise in its history. The Jaguars defense also contributed to a team-record 20 interceptions and allowed an NFL-low 11 points per game on their home turf.
 
During Smith’s five seasons in Jacksonville, three defensive players garnered six Pro Bowl selections, which included defensive tackle Marcus Stroud (2003–2005), defensive tackle John Henderson (2004, 2006) and cornerback Rashean Mathis (2006). Smith also coached the likes of defensive end Bobby McCray, who became just the fourth Jaguar to record at least 10 sacks in 2005. Smith contributed to three winning seasons in Jacksonville (2004–2005, 2007) as the Jags reached the playoffs for the sixth occasion in franchise history in 2007 and defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC Divisional Playoff game on the road at Heinz Field.

Prior to joining the Jaguars, Smith spent four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and was the Defensive Assistant/Defensive Line Coach from 1999–2001, which included the team’s 2000 Super Bowl winning season. The Ravens defense set an NFL 16-game record by allowing only 165 points en route to the team’s first NFL championship.

In 2002, Smith served as the Linebackers Coach. That season, the Ravens featured All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis and Pro Bowl linebacker Peter Boulware, who recorded 57 tackles, seven sacks for a loss of 51 yards, one interception and four passes defensed in his finest NFL season under Smith’s tutelage.

Before joining the NFL ranks, Smith spent 12 seasons at Tennessee Tech from 1987–1998. He was the Golden Eagles’ Defensive Coordinator for the last three seasons as the team finished in the top 10 in the nation in total defense (1997 and 1998). He joined the Tennessee Tech staff as the Defensive Line Coach and then served as the Special Team Coordinator from 1988 to 1995. Prior to his last season with the Golden Eagles, Smith was promoted to Assistant Head Coach on top of his Defensive Coordinator duties.

As the son of a middle school coach and as the oldest in a family of eight children (four sisters and three brothers), Smith learned early the values and virtues of a strong work ethic from parents Carol and Sam Smith. Growing up with educators as influential parents can have a lasting effect on a person. Mike Smith is no different. Teaching is in his blood. It’s what he loves to do.

When Smith broke his right arm playing linebacker in the second game during his senior season at Father Lopez High School (in Daytona Beach, Fla.) he asked the head coach if he could help the team and become an assistant coach. This would mark the humble beginnings for a man that some 30 years later would reach the pinnacle of his coaching profession and be named head coach in the National Football League of the Atlanta Falcons.

“Mike was with me in Baltimore (Ravens) and I know he’s honest, fair and he’s a good teacher,” said longtime former NFL player turned NFL Network analyst Rod Woodson.  “I think teaching is a lost art in the National Football League. There are a lot of coaches who can put X’s and O’s on the board, but they can’t teach a guy why they did it. But Mike can do that. He will be a good teacher.”
 
Smith played college football at East Tennessee (1977–1981) and was named defensive MVP twice at his position. He led the team with a school record 186 tackles as a senior.

A native of Daytona Beach, Florida, Smith was born on June 13, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois. He and his wife, Julie, have one daughter, Logan, and reside in Suwanee, Ga.