Kirby Smart has built quite the empire in Athens. But just down the road there is a team that always seems to have their eye on him, ready to swoop in and hire him if he ever gives them the chance.
That team is the Atlanta Falcons.
Smart will never leave Georgia for another college job, but it's impossible to completely rule out a jump to the NFL at some point in his career. And one of the most likely landing spots for him is with the Falcons who just so happens to be searching for a new head coach right now.
Matt Ryan not leaning toward an offensive-minded head coach, he says.
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) January 13, 2026
"Kirby Smart down the road, he does pretty good from the defensive side."
Kirby Smart name dropped with the Atlanta Falcons
Smart hasn't been named a candidate for their head coach opening, but Falcons president Matt Ryan just name dropped him as the type of coach they are looking for.
Since Ryan is a former quarterback, a lot of people assumed he will hire an offensive minded head coach. That however may not be the case as Ryan pointed to Smart who is "just down the road" as an example of a defensive minded coach that is finding a lot of success.
It wouldn't be surprising at this point to find out that Ryan wants to hire Smart. If he didn't then he probably isn't the right man for the job. But Smart is thankfully not interested in the job right now, so there is nothing for fans to worry about.
But considering most Georgia fans are also fans of the Falcons, it is a really encouraging to see that Ryan is interested in hiring a coach like Smart. Smart has clearly worked out at Georgia over the past 10 years, so if they can find someone similar in Atlanta then fans might be able to finally enjoy success in the NFL too.