Falcons coach Mike Smith, who guided the team to the NFC South title and tied for the best regular-season record in the league, was named the NFL's coach of the year by the Sporting News on Friday.

Smith also became the third coach in franchise history to guide the Falcons to the NFC championship game. Dan Reeves led the 1998 to the Super Bowl and Jim Mora led the 2004 team to the NFC championship game.

Smith led the Falcons to their first playoff win since Mora’s team defeated the St. Louis Rams to advance to the NFC title game.

Smith also won the award after the 2008 and 2010 season.  Smith joins coaching greats Paul Brown, Chuck Knox and Joe Gibbs as the only NFL coaches to be honored three times by the Sporting News.

During his tenure in Atlanta, the Falcons have compiled a 56-24 (.700) regular season record with five straight winning seasons, four playoff berths and two division titles.

Smith’s 56 wins in his first five seasons as a head coach are the second-most by a first-time head coach in NFL history.

Atlanta’s .700 winning percentage since 2008 is the second-best mark in the NFL during that span and the Falcons are the only NFC team to post winning records in each of the last five seasons.

Smith became the Falcons all-time leader in coaching wins in 2012, passing Dan Reeves posted a 49-59-1 record from 1997-03. Additionally, Smith reached the 50-win milestone in 71 games. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the third fastest head coach to accomplish that feat since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Only George Seifert (62 games) and Chuck Knox (65 games) reached 50 wins faster than Smith during that time.

Sporting News received votes from a pool of 27 NFL coaches and executives to determine the winner. In a tight race, Smith (8) finished ahead of the Indianapolis Colts' tag team of Bruce Arians and Chuck Pagano (7), the Houston Texans' Gary Kubiak (6), John Fox (2) of the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll (2).

Sporting News received votes from a pool of 27 NFL coaches and executives to determine the winner. In a tight race, Smith (8) finished ahead of the Indianapolis Colts' tag team of Bruce Arians and Chuck Pagano (7), the Houston Texans' Gary Kubiak (6), John Fox (2) of the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll (2).

LATEST NEWS

Falcons name Marty Lauzon new director of sports medicine

Falcons released strength coach Jeff Fish

Falcons hope Tony Gonzalez returns for another year

Tougher schedule for Falcons next season

Safeties added to the Pro Bowl

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan to miss Pro Bowl with left shoulder injury