Atlanta Falcons’ Director Of Player Personnel To Stay

Aug 24, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; An Atlanta Falcons helmet showing the Heads Up logo sitting on the field prior to the game against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Lionel Vital, director of player personnel for the Atlanta Falcons, is going to be sticking around with the team for at least one more season, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

"FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Falcons director of player personnel Lionel Vital, who has been with the team for six seasons, said he wasn’t getting the vacant Tampa Bay general manager’s post on Monday.“I’m staying with the Falcons,” Vital said while scouting the offensive linemen at the South team practice at the Senior Bowl on Monday.He’d interviewed for the vacant Tampa Bay opening."

While some people are glad that Vital is coming back to the organization, I have to think it’s a bit of an awkward situation for Vital and the Falcons. Based on what I read in Ledbetter’s story, Vital is trying to get out of Atlanta and the only reason he’s not is because he didn’t get the Tampa Bay GM job he interviewed for last week. However, I don’t think anyone would blame Vital for taking the job with Tampa Bay if he had been offered it–it’s clearly a good career move for him.

Vital has been with the team for six seasons, serving as assistant director of player personnel for five and director of personnel for the team last year. For now, he’s back with Atlanta to try and continue building his resume. Maybe he can make a name for himself by helping the Falcons in the upcoming NFL draft before he moves on to another position.