Dave Ragone was hired as the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator on Jan. 21, 2021.
In 2022, Atlanta offense led the NFL in fewest penalties, finished third in the NFL in rushing yards per game and 10th in third-down conversion rate. Atlanta also had the third-highest successful play rate on rushing attempts, based on EPA, at 45.1 percent. The Falcons rushing attack averaged 74.5 more rushing yards per game in 2022 than it did in 2021, resulting in the largest one-season improvement by any team since at least 2001. With Cordarrelle Patterson (340), Tyler Allgeier (324), Marcus Mariota (280) and Caleb Huntley (265), the Falcons became the first team to have four players with at least 250 rushing yards through the first eight games of a season in NFL history. Additionally, Allgeier surpassed Williams Andrews (1,023 in 1979) for the most rushing yards by a rookie in franchise history and became the sixth rookie selected in the fifth round-or-later to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards over the past 20 seasons. Patterson also set single-season career highs for rushing yards (695) and rushing touchdowns (eight).
Rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder started the final four games of the 2022 season and completed 73-of-115 passes (63.5 percent) for 708 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions for an 86.4 passer rating. He completed 20-of-29 attempts on third down for 211 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 112.9. Ridder's 73 completions and 708 passing yards were the most by a player over his first four career starts in franchise history. Additionally, the Cincinnati product became the third rookie to attempt at least 100 passes and not record an interception in his first four career starts in NFL history, joining Dak Prescott and Gardner Minshew.
First-round selection Drake London finished his rookie season with 72 receptions for 866 yards and four touchdowns, surpassing Kyle Pitts (68 in 2021) for the most receptions by a rookie in franchise history. With Allgeier (1,035 rushing yards) and London (866 receiving yards), the 2022 Atlanta Falcons became the fourth team to have a 1,000-yard rookie rusher and an 800-yard rookie receiver in the same season in NFL history, joining the 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004 Detroit Lions and 2003 Houston Texans.
In his first season as offensive coordinator, Atlanta was the only team to have a wide receiver (Russell Gage), tight end (Kyle Pitts) and running back (Cordarrelle Patterson) each record at least 50 receptions and 500 receiving yards in the NFL in 2021. Additionally, Falcons running backs and tight ends combined for 2,251 receiving yards in 2021 - the most in the NFL and the most in a single season in franchise history.
In 2021, Cordarrelle Patterson set then single-season career highs for rushing yards, receiving yards, rushing touchdowns and receiving touchdowns, and became the first player to record at least five rushing and five receiving touchdowns in a single season in franchise history. Rookie Kyle Pitts also set the Falcons' single-season rookie receiving record, single-season tight end receiving record, earned his first-career Pro Bowl nod and became the second rookie tight end to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in NFL history joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka (1,067 in 1961), finishing the season with a team-high 1,026 receiving yards.
Ragone came to Atlanta after five seasons with the Chicago Bears. He spent the 2020 season as the team's passing game coordinator following four seasons as quarterbacks' coach. Last season, Ragone assisted quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles who, despite a mid-season slump, led the team to a Wild Card playoff berth. The duo combined to complete 65.8 percent of their passes for 3907 yards with 26 touchdowns against 16 interceptions.
In 2019, Ragone helped Trubisky post 3,138 passing yards in just over 14 games, giving the signal caller back-to-back 3,000-yard passing seasons, a feat accomplished just twice before in franchise history. He also guided Trubisky to Pro Bowl honors following the 2018 season. That year Trubisky became just the sixth quarterback in team history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. His four games with a passer rating of at least 120.0 were the most in Bears single-season history and his four games with at least 300 yards passing tied for the most in club single-season annals.
In 2017, Trubisky set Bears rookie records with 2,193 passing yards and 196 completions. Through his final five games, Trubisky completed more than 67 percent of his passes, fifth best in the NFL during that span. In 2016, the Bears offense set franchise marks for gross passing yards (4,139; third), net passing yards (3,969; third) and passing first downs (211; second) despite starting three different QBs (Matt Barkley – 6; Jay Cutler – 5; Brian Hoyer – 5).
Prior to joining the Bears, Ragone worked on Jay Gruden's Washington staff, helping quarterback Kirk Cousins lead the NFL in completion percentage (69.8) and rank fifth in passer rating in the NFL (101.6) as he tossed 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
Before joining Washington, Ragone worked served as the Tennessee Titans quarterbacks' coach in 2013 after spending two seasons coaching the wide receivers from 2011-12. As a wide receivers' coach, Ragone helped Nate Washington to a career-high 1,023 receiving yards in 2011, the Titans first 1,000-yard receiver since 2004. Washington added career-highs in receptions (74) and receiving touchdowns (seven) that season. A year later, under Ragone's coaching, Kendall Wright tied for the NFL lead among rookies with 64 receptions.
Ragone also worked as a quarterback' coach for the Hartford Colonials of the UFL in 2010, helping Josh McCown lead the league in passer rating and touchdown passes.
As an NFL player, Ragone spent three seasons as quarterback with the Houston Texans (2003-05). He also spent time with the Berlin Thunder in 2005 being named NFL Europe Offensive MVP honors while leading the league in passer rating (97.5) and setting an NFLE record by throwing 174 consecutive passes without an interception.
A three-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year at Louisville, Ragone led the Cardinals to three consecutive bowl games. The Middleburg Heights, Ohio, native was an All-State selection at St. Ignatius H.S. in Cleveland. In 2009, he was inducted into the St. Ignatius Athletics Hall of Fame.
He and his wife, Marju, have three children, Isabella, Anderson and Cristiano.
