Mike Smith NFL Coach of the Year

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

One day after losing a Wild Card playoff game to the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith was named the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year. Coach Smith edged Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano by a mere one vote. He explained his team’s process to success:

“I’m honored individually, but more so for our coaching staff and our players. I think we have tried to establish that we’d be very systematic in how we did things, that we were going to have a plan. We laid that plan out from the very beginning how we were going to practice, how we were going to travel, how we were going to meet, how we were going to communicate, and I think the guys really appreciated definitely how we presented the plan in the framework for us to start the season.”

I believe the award could’ve gone to both men but I would’ve given the edge to coach Sparano. Nevertheless, it was nearly impossible to separate the incredible job these two coaches did this season — coach Sparano taking the NFL’s worst team last year, a 1-15 team, all the way to an 11-5 record and the AFC East title. And coach Smith improving the Falcons from 4-12 to 11-5 and a Wild Card playoff berth. Neither the Falcons nor Dolphins were able to advance beyond the Wild Card round, but both of these coaches set foundations for what should be promising football futures in Atlanta and Miami.

Source: Yahoo! Sports, Photo: Newscom