Falcons Interview Rick Smith, Anthony Robinson

The Falcons are off and running on their first GM search in 12-plus years. In addition to interviewing ex-Texans GM Rick Smith and eyeing meetings with Saints exec Terry Fontenot and Rams staffer Brad Holmes, the Falcons met with one of their own staffers.

Falcons director of college scouting Anthony Robinson joined Smith in interviewing for the position Friday, the team announced. Robinson is in his second year in his current position but has been with the team much longer.

With the Falcons since Thomas Dimitroff‘s arrival in 2008, Robinson worked through the ranks as a scout with the franchise during most of Dimitroff’s tenure. Prior to his 2019 elevation to the scouting director post, Robinson worked as a Falcons area scout.

Smith is the highest-profile name connected to this search thus far. He is expected to draw interest from multiple teams, though the former Houston front office boss has yet to be mentioned as a candidate for the other GM vacancies. Smith has been out of football since stepping away from his Texans post after the 2017 season, but the longtime GM has been eyeing a return to the league for a bit now. The Texans’ GM from 2006-17, Smith was there for the franchise’s first four playoff berths and swung the 2017 trade for Deshaun Watson.

It will be interesting to see if the Falcons join the Lions and Texans in meeting with ESPN’s Louis Riddick. The Jaguars are also interested in the first-year Monday Night Football analyst, though they have not set up an interview.

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