Dan Quinn was fired as the Atlanta Falcons head coach on Sunday night after the team started the 2020 season 0-5. And as disappointed Quinn was with how things ended, he enjoyed his five-plus seasons in the city. On Wednesday, Quinn wrote a letter to Atlanta and said he had “gratitude” after his time with the Falcons came to an end.
“Being the Head Coach of your Atlanta Falcons has been the privilege of a lifetime,” Quinn wrote. “I can’t express my appreciation enough to Arthur Blank for the opportunity to represent this organization for the past six seasons. It truly has been my family. My wife Stacey and I will forever be grateful for every single person in this organization who made our lives better and fuller.”
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Quinn went on to say he will “miss so many things,” including the players in the locker room whether it was Pro Bowlers or practice squad players. He also stated that it was “an honor to fight shoulder-to-shoulder with you and be a part of your lives on and off the field.”
He ended the letter by thanking the Falcons fans. “I can’t thank you enough for making this Jersey boy feel right at home,” Quinn stated. “I know there are great things ahead for this team and I’ll continue to root like hell for them, and for you. I hope I represented your team with the grace and character you deserve.”
Quinn was hired to be the Falcons head coach in 2015. In his first season, the Falcons finished with an 8-8 record after starting the year 5-0. Things got better for Quinn in 2016 when the Falcons reached the Super Bowl. However, the team lost to the New England Patriots after having a 28-3 lead late in the third quarter. And despite reaching the playoffs and winning a playoff game in 2017, the team could never get its footing back. In 2018 and 2019 the Falcons finished with 7-9 records. Fans got angry with the coaching staff after blowing two-touchdown leads against the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears this year.
Along with Quinn being fired, the Falcons released general manager Thomas Dimitroff from his duties. Falcons president Rich McKay will take over the day-to-day football operations, and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has been named interim head coach.
