Thomas Dimitroff to return as GM in 2016
By John Buhler
Thomas Dimitroff will stay on as the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons in 2016, as owner Arthur Blank addressed the issue in a press release Friday.
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank released a statement Friday morning stating that long-time general manager Thomas Dimitroff will return for the 2016 NFL season. Dimitroff had reportedly been on the hot seat for his staff’s inability to draft well beyond the first round. He came to the Atlanta Falcons in 2008 with then new head coach Mike Smith and was responsible for drafting quarterback Matt Ryan out of Boston College No. 3 overall in that spring’s NFL Draft.
Blank said in his statement Friday that “Coach Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff have built a productive working relationship over the last 11 months. There is very good alignment between Dan and Thomas on the direction we need to go to improve our team and I believe maintaining the continuity of that relationship, with Scott Pioli continuing to assist Thomas, is the right way forward.”
It seemed that the longer Blank took to release a statement about Thomas Dimitroff’s job security, the more likely that he would stick in Atlanta for the upcoming 2016 NFL season. Dimitroff and Quinn did for the most part draft well together in 2015 and have to work well together this upcoming draft, as the Atlanta Falcons only have five draft picks to work with.
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Noticeably absent from Blank’s release is Lionel Vital, a key member on the Atlanta Falcons’ personnel department. It seems as though some of the guys further down in the front office may end up feeling the heat of the Atlanta Falcons’ third straight season of missing the NFC Playoffs. There may end up being some moves made in the front office, not including Thomas Dimitroff or his assistant Scott Pioli.
Though Falcons fans have been critical of some of Dimitroff’s drafts, especially the debacle that was the 2012 NFL Draft that ever played Atlanta selected is now out of the league after three seasons, it makes sense that Blank would give the Dimitroff/Quinn partnership at least two years of working together.
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How the Atlanta Falcons orchestrate both free agency and the 2016 NFL Draft could end being the deciding season for Thomas Dimitroff in Atlanta. Should the 2015 Draft Class continue to improve, Atlanta doesn’t make any colossal mistakes in the upcoming free agency period, and doesn’t whiff on any of their first four picks in the 2016 NFL Draft, Dimitroff could stick with Dan Quinn for the long-term. 2017 would mark Dimitroff’s 10th season in the Atlanta Falcons organization.