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Falcons owner Arthur Blank spoke before the Rotary Club of Marietta and the Marietta Kiwanis Club at the Marietta City Conference Center on Wednesday.
Afterwards, we talked him about his comments on 680 The Fan concerning his displeasure that players didn't rush to quarterback Matt Ryan's defense after he was walloped by New Orleans safety Kenny Vaccaro last season.
(He seemed to get a kick of my new camera phone stand! Check the video!)
The comments to the radio station were not necessarily new, but they continued a theme the team has been ringing all offseason, but in more veiled terms.
Nov. 21, 2013: NFL Network crew: Falcons lack 'toughness'
Nov. 22, 2013: Mike Smith defends the Falcons' toughness
Jan. 6, 2014: Blank wants players with 'capacity to be tough'
Jan. 21, 2014: New coaches Tice, Cox to preach toughness
March 11, 2014: Dimitroff believes Falcons added 'grit and toughness'
Here's what Blank had to say on Wednesday:
“(Head coach Mike Smith) has acknowledged that (the need to get tougher) and I think you see that when you look at the backgrounds and personalities of Mike Tice and Bryan Cox,” Blank told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “You see not only the coaching capability, but a certain personality tendency for both of them, both as (former) players and as coaches.
“When you see the movements during free agency and the kind of players that we picked up, I think that reflects those moves as well. It’s easy to say and used the words, but you have to back it up. Smitty feels strongly about that. (General manager) Thomas (Dimitroff) does as well. I think you’ll see more of that continue during the draft as well.”
FALCONS' DRAFT BOARD
--A look at Louisville LB Preston Brown
--A look at Iowa TE C.J. Fiedorowicz
FALCONS REWIND
--Blog: Falcons are not switching to a 3-4 defense front, they've been using it for past 2 seasons
--Blog: New jersey numbers picked; Devin Hester to wear No. 17
--Blog: Falcons awarded three compensatory picks
--Blog: Lamar Holmes was a performance-pay leader in 2014
--Blog: Umenyiora will return in 2014, no restructured deal
--Blog: Falcons release FB Bradie Ewing
--Blog: Falcons WR Roddy White owes Mercer fan some prime tickets
--Blog: Falcons owner Arthur Blank engaged to be married.
--Blog: Former Falcons WR Kevin Cone to work out for Carolina
--Blog: Falcons re-sign defensive tackle Peria Jerry
--Blog: NFL to move forward on cleaning up 'on-field' language
--MyAJC ($): Falcons spend $80 million in free agency to buy toughness
--Las Vegas doesn't like Falcons' free agency moves
--Falcons Free Agency Tracker -- Falcons have committed $107.36 million to salaries
--Q&A with PR/KR/WR Devin Hester
--Q&A with Falcons right guard Jon Asamoah
--Q&A with Falcons defensive end Tyson Jackson
--Q&A with Falcons defensive tackle Paul Soliai
2014 NFL DRAFT CENTRAL
--Mock Draft 1.0: Falcons trade out of sixth spot to land Pryor and Ebron
--12 teams who could draft UGA star Aaron Murray
--Louisville LB Preston Brown to work out for the Falcons
--Louisville DE Marcus Smith to work out for the Falcons
--MyAJC ($): OT Greg Robinson, DE Dee Ford shine at Auburn's Pro Day
--VIDEO: Tackle Greg Robinson on Auburn's Pro Day
--VIDEO: Running back Tra Mason on Auburn's Pro Day
--Blog & VIDEO: Clemson QB Tajh Boyd has stellar Pro Day showing
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