Falcons HC Arthur Smith unfazed by fans calling for his job
The Atlanta Falcons are 4-6 after playing 10 weeks of football. Due to yet another disappointing season, fans are angry, and they have every single right to be. Many have taken to social media, and even the national spotlight (College Gameday), to express how they feel about Falcons' head coach Arthur Smith. But the reality […]
The Atlanta Falcons are 4-6 after playing 10 weeks of football.
Due to yet another disappointing season, fans are angry, and they have every single right to be.
Many have taken to social media, and even the national spotlight (College Gameday), to express how they feel about Falcons' head coach Arthur Smith.
But the reality is head coach Arthur Smith doesn't care what fans think and he made that clear following the Falcons' 25-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
“It’s pro football. Don’t sign up for it. I mean, honestly. It doesn’t matter," Smith said when asked whether fans calling for his job impacts him in any way. "It doesn’t matter if you win 10 Super Bowls, or you don’t win anything. That’s what it is. If you don’t like that, don’t sign up for it. That’s players, everybody. If you don’t want the pressure, there’s other professions you can go do. That’s just what it is, you know what I mean? We know what we’re hired to do. You embrace it and you try to do everything you can to win, so you do right by the job you’re hired to do.”
Smith also said he didn't feel any pressure after losing three straight games.
“Here’s the best way to answer that. No, in terms of worried about everything outside of your control," he said. "I’ll say this. In professional sports, don’t get into professional sports if you’re worried about that. It’s just the truth. That’s just your life philosophy. That’s why I think this game is awesome. It’s the old Latin phrase ‘Amor fati’, the love of fate, because I think if you look at life like that, that’s what you step into these things – I took four years of Latin, so if I butchered that, there are going to be some teachers that are pretty mad at me for 27 years ago, sorry – but that’s really the gist of it. That’s kind of how you approach life. That’s why you love this game. I love the opportunity that I get to do this, and I get to work with the guys that we’ve got. If you lose that perspective, shame on you. You embrace it – the good, the bad, the pressure. That’s what you want. That’s what you sign up for."
The Falcons, who currently don't have a starting quarterback, will enter their bye week before coming back to take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 12.
Contrary to what many fans and analysts think, Smith remains optimistic about the rest of the season.
"The good news is we’re not dead," Smith said. "We have a chance, too, as you said, to salvage the season or do something about it. Whatever the odds are, we can use this time to get away, try to find solutions, and come back in here and do everything we can to beat New Orleans.”
Drake London says what all Falcons fans are thinking
How we’re all feeling after losing to the 1-8 Cardinals.
