The Atlanta Falcons were officially eliminated from playoff contention in a 48-17 blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. With the game well decided late, the Saints stuck it to their rivals when Jamaal Williams punched in a touchdown with just over a minute left.
Embattled Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was not a fan of the Saints running up the score and he let New Orleans head coach Dennis Allen know it immediately after the game.
Arthur Smith and Dennis Allen have a postgame chat pic.twitter.com/s469d2OcWq
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) January 7, 2024
The Saints were supposed to take a knee according to Allen, but the players went rogue and ran a play anyway.
Dennis Allen said they asked him if Jamaal Williams could get a TD. He said no, he wanted to take a knee. He said the players ran that play anyway. He said Arthur Smith was right to be upset.
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) January 7, 2024
Smith’s outburst could end up being the final moment we see him as Atlanta’s head coach as he has been identified as one of the biggest hot seat candidates at the close of the 2023-24 season. The Falcons have finished with a 7-10 record during all three years of his tenure and these results have been especially frustrating for fans given that the NFC South has been mediocre these past two seasons.
Falcons brass went down to the locker room before the final whistle, so we could be hearing news of Smith’s firing shortly.