5 head coaching jobs Ben Johnson could leave the Detroit Lions for after the season

3. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are 4-6 at their Week 11 bye, and in the playoff hunt. Many people (ok, fantasy football owners, Falcons' fans and lovers of football who like to see talent used to its full extent) would like to see Arthur Smith gone. As Atlanta has added skill talent with draft picks (Kyle Pitts, Drake London, Bijan Robinson), he flatly refuses to use them enough and actively gives prime opportunities to less players (Jonnu Smith, Tyler Allgeier, etc.).

Smith likes to lean into not falling victim to the fantasy football community with how he chooses to deploy his underused offensive weapons, in the name of winning games. But with a 7-10 record in each of his first two seasons as Falcons' head coach, and an 18-26 overall record, what he's doing isn't exactly working on that front.

Oh, but if Falcons' offense is good, that would validate Smith, right? But they are 15th in total yardage per game this year, 21st in passing, fifth in rushing (driven by volume) and 24th in scoring (18.9 points per game). There are quarterback-driven limitations, be it Desmond Ridder or Taylor Heinicke this year, but Smith is not the guy to get the most from a quarterback either.

For what it's worth right now, via Jeff Schulz of The Athletic, Smith is expected to be the Falcons' head coach in 2024 unless things go way awry from here on out.

Speculation about Smith's job status will not go away just yet, and it may not go away unless the Falcons win the NFC South. Imagine what Johnson, with an offense that has actual imagination (and a capable quarterback), could do with Robinson, Pitts, London, etc. Falcons fans may already be dreaming about it.