Arthur Blank's time as Falcons owner

Atlanta Falcons

Arthur Blank's time as Falcons owner

Arthur Blank purchased the Falcons in 2002 and witnessed much turmoil in his franchise.

Dan Reeves and Arthur Blank pose with a Falcons helmet after NFL owners had voted unanimously to allow Blank to buy the team in 2002 from the Smith family, which has owned the team since it was founded by Rankin Smith Sr. in 1965. During the conference, Blank said that he would extend Reeves' contract for three years.

Arthur Blank has conceded he might have gone too far when he wheeled injured quarterback Michael Vick onto the field during the 2003 season.

Dan Reeves' 23-year career as an NFL head coach ended with Blank releasing him as head coach from his contract during the 2003 season.

Reeves' release came just days after Blank hired Rich McKay as the team's general manager and president. McKay was formerly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Within a few weeks, Blank introduced Jim Mora as the Falcons' head coach. Blank was so impressed with Mora that the team canceled further interviews, including one with former LSU and Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban.

The Falcons credited their rebound from a 5-11 team to a contender to team-building between quarterback Michael Vick, general manager McKay, owner Blank and coach Mora.

Coach Mora tosses Blank a game ball after the division-clinching win over the Raiders in 2004. "Everything I thought he was, he turned out to be, " Blank said of the coach he had hired 11 months before.

Things would grow more distant between Mora and Blank. Mora was dismissed on New Year's Day 2007 after three seasons with the Falcons -- despite having just signed a contract extension through 2009.

Another season, another coach. In January 2007, Blank introduced Louisville coach Bobby Petrino as the Falcons' new head coach.

Blank reacted with anger, disappointment, and dejection at the unexpected resignation of head coach Bobby Petrino 13 games into the season. Petrino returned to the college ranks, signing on to coach the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Before the season began, Blank and McKay had to answer questions about Michael Vick's activities off the field. During camp, preseason and throughout the season Blank expressed disappointment. It culminated in December when Vick was sentenced for his role in a dogfighting operation and Blank suggested Vick use his sentence "to continue to focus his efforts on making positive changes in his life."

The Falcons signed Vick to a 10-year, $130 million contract in December 2004 and Blank called him "A Falcon for life." After Vick pleaded guilty to dogfighting charges, Blank would say he found it "disappointing" to learn that maybe he didn't know Vick as well as he thought.

Blank stripped McKay of his general manager duties in a very public fashion. McKay's continued role on just the business side of the organization was declared after Blank made his intentions of seeking Bill Parcells to run personnel duties.

After what seemed like a long search, Blank settled on New England director of college scouting Tom Dimitroff to replace McKay as general manager. Dimitroff has never held such a high position, but brings 18 years of talent evaluation and scouting expertise.

The new general manager chose Jaguars' coordinator Mike Smith as the new head coach -- with Blank's approval. Smith is Blank's third heach coach since he bought the franchise in 2002 and fired head coach Dan Reeves, none of whom had previous NFL head coaching experience.

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Dan Reeves and Arthur Blank pose with a Falcons helmet after NFL owners had voted unanimously to allow Blank to buy the team in 2002 from the Smith family, which has owned the team since it was founded by Rankin Smith Sr. in 1965. During the conference, Blank said that he would extend Reeves' contract for three years.

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