Off the football field, Falcons head coach Mike Smith has two big hobbies: fishing and golf.
In the past two weeks, he's gotten a chance to do both while also helping a great cause. Last week, Smith took part in Fishing with the Falcons, which including fishing on Lake Lanier with wounded military veterans. On Monday, he was hitting the links for the seventh annual Verizon Wireless Network of Champions golf tournament, with all proceeds from the event going to Operation Homefront — a charity that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors.
"We're working to help families of armed service men and women, so we're really doing a good thing, I think, in terms of trying to help out," Smith said Monday.
Monday's event featured 18 Atlanta Falcons and local celebrities, including former defensive backs Ray Buchanan and Brian Jordan, former defensive lineman Chris Doleman and former linebacker and Ring of Honor member Jessie Tuggle. Members of the Falcons coaching staff — offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, special teams coach Keith Armstrong, defensive line coach Ray Hamilton and secondary coach Tim Lewis — also took to the links for the event Monday.
Here's a list of the other celebrities that took part Monday: Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff; one of the radio voices for the Falcons, Dave Archer; Georgia Tech head football coach Paul Johnson; former Atlanta Braves outfielder Otis Nixon; former Braves pitcher Phil Niekro; former Braves pitcher Greg McMichael; former University of Georgia and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Reggie Brown; former Falcons defensive back Henry Jones; NBA on TNT's Craig Sager; former MLB pitcher Jay Howell.
