Mularkey hired as Jacksonville head coach
Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey chats with the local media. (D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER/AJC)
UPDATE: The Jacksonville Jaguars have confirmed the hiring of former Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey as their third head coach.
The Florida Times-Union is reporting, through a source, that the Jaquars have hired Mike Mularkey as their new head coach.
FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey is interviewing for the vacant head coach position with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Les Snead, the team’s director of player personnel is interviewing for the general manager’s post in St. Louis, today.
He’s set to interview with Miami later in the week.
Should Mularkey land the Jacksonville or Miami job, he could take a couple of assistant coaches with him. There has been very little turnover from Smith’s original staff. With former defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder’s swift departure to the college ranks, five of the original 16 members have moved on to other jobs.
Mularkey was a candidate last season for head coaching jobs in Cleveland and Denver. He interviewed with Cleveland, but withdrew from the Denver search. Cleveland hired Pat Shurmur and Denver hired John Fox.
Mularkey’s son Patrick is a scouting assistant with the Jaguars. He wants to be a head coach again. He was Buffalo’s head coach in 2004-05 and posted a 14-18 record.
Mularkey and former offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave have been lauded league-wide for their fast development of quarterback Matt Ryan and for turning the Falcons’ offense into one of the league’s better units which has powered the team to a 43-21 record and three trips to the playoffs.
Mularkey is attractive because of his background in coaching power football. Jacksonville also needs someone to develop quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who struggled in his first year in the league. Miami will likely be in the market for a quarterback in the draft.
Mularkey was Miami’s offensive coordinator in 2006 and their tight ends coach in 2007.
Mularkey’s unit was stymied in the 24-2 loss to the New York Giants in the NFC wild-card playoff game on Sunday. The Falcons were 4 of 14 on third downs and 0 for 3 on fourth downs as they were kept out of the end zone.
Jacksonville dismissed Jack Del Rio this season. He was replaced on an interim basis by Mel Tucker. Miami parted ways with Tony Sparano.
After the 2010 season, Mularkey was selected as the coordinator of the year by The Sporting News.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
Get instant updates on Twitter at AJCFalcons and you can join the Facebook Fan page at AJC Falcons.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
415 comments Add your comment
1danielbell
January 10th, 2012
10:16 pm
Good riddance.
done
January 10th, 2012
10:19 pm
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
DHD
January 10th, 2012
10:24 pm
Sweet!! We don’t have to fire him.
Michael
January 10th, 2012
10:30 pm
Great news!
JeHo
January 10th, 2012
10:32 pm
It’s probably going to take him a while to get there from here with 1 yard runs up the middle the entire way.
Opie
January 10th, 2012
10:36 pm
Mularkey and Van Gorder are gone. What are your excuses next year when Mike Smith runs the same zone schemes and lame offensive system? The two gentlemen are scapegoats for the piss poor job that Mike Smith has done as head coach.
You guys praise his record for beating subpar teams, but you give him a free pass for the offensive and defensive schemes he approved failed miserably in the playoffs thee times!!! He is the HEAD Football Coach, the failures in the playoffs are his failures not Mularkey or VanGorder!! They report to him as he approve the schemes.
Not So Fast
January 10th, 2012
10:39 pm
All you sorry Falcons fans, tell me again how long it took Peyton Manning to win a Super Bowl?
The Falconator
January 10th, 2012
10:46 pm
Thanks to D-Led for putting a positive spin on MM–helps palm him off on the unsuspecting. This entire season/playoff disaster makes me wonder if having the OC/DC obviously working hard to get out of town might have affected focus and game planning. Now, Mr. Blank needs to to make it clear to Smitty that, during the hiring processes, his candidates for replacements will be closely scrutinized and made to demonstrate how things will be different with the offense and defense. TD needs to demonstrate how he will find OL, DB, and a pass rush without a draft. So long BVG/MM and don’t let the door hit ya on the way out!
Just Sayin.....
January 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
Flacco is still in the playoffs………………..
Just sayin…………..
Ward
January 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
Look, this is how the script plays out; a bad team gets a new coach who makes great strides in turning a bad program around. After a few years, he’s clearly hit his ceiling but you can’t just fire him… you have give him a chance to make adjustments. You fire his assistants (or strongly encourage them to get jobs elsewhere) and quietly put your HC on notice that its time to step it up or get out.
2012 is Smitty’s big year… or else.
Tommyb
January 10th, 2012
10:51 pm
Oppie your smokin doppie
D. Orlando Ledbetter
January 10th, 2012
10:53 pm
MAGIC MIKE IS GONE!
Goosedog
January 10th, 2012
10:55 pm
Wow! Somebody else bought into MM’s BS! Jacksonville will end up with the next three #1 first round draft picks(The length of MM’s contract).
walknbalk
January 10th, 2012
10:55 pm
2012 Christmas came mad early!
Falons 2012
January 10th, 2012
10:55 pm
Thank God mm is GONE!!!!!!! Get a real coordinator plz Arthur Blank
Not So Fast
January 10th, 2012
10:57 pm
QB A
cmp yds ypa td int rat
60.8 3,284 6.24 17 16 76.9
57.6 2,108 5.92 11 15 67.5
65.5 3,159 7.90 27 7 104.8
64.6 3,576 7.15 24 15 89.2
QB B
cmp yds ypa td int rat
61.1 3,440 7.93 16 11 87.7
58.3 2,916 6.47 22 14 80.9
62.5 3,705 6.49 28 9 91.0
61.3 4,177 7.38 29 12 92.2
Which QB would you say had the better statistics? Anyone?
WitStream
January 10th, 2012
10:57 pm
Thank God! Now let’s move on with this thing!
Fred Macmurray
January 10th, 2012
10:58 pm
Well I for one am pleased as punch. Lets Hope TD does’nt drop the ball this time…..
Fred Macmurray
January 10th, 2012
11:01 pm
I think this team has some pretty good ball players,,maybe 2 or 3,, we need coaches that know what the Heii their doing. Mike Smith gets one more year. IMHO I think he should be shown the door as well,, we shall see..
JSS
January 10th, 2012
11:02 pm
@ Mike, Robbie, and Chip’s Dad…
Remember that song I referenced last week: “WIshin’ n Hopin?”
Fred Macmurray
January 10th, 2012
11:02 pm
MS had his chance,, he blew it
Great Falconi
January 10th, 2012
11:03 pm
YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
Thank you, Jags.
Fred Macmurray
January 10th, 2012
11:03 pm
JSS,,, you know the old saying, wish in one hand and,,,,,, nevermind….
Loserville USA
January 10th, 2012
11:04 pm
YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Tom G
January 10th, 2012
11:05 pm
Get OL Harvey Dahl back from Rams, that may help OL get their swagger back. He does take s–t from anyone and doesn’t like losing!
Not So Fast
January 10th, 2012
11:06 pm
So anyone going to tell me what QB between QB A or B has the better career stats?
Fred Macmurray
January 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
I dont think getting Harvey Dahl back is going to help this bunch. We need Mike Kenn,, hows he doing these days,,,
Fred Macmurray
January 10th, 2012
11:09 pm
This Team does’nt have “IT”,,, that starts at the top,, I like Mike Smith,, but he needs to go…
Dirty Bird Nation
January 10th, 2012
11:13 pm
The Falcons need Bama Offensive Line…………………Bring them here in tack!
Dirty Bird Nation
January 10th, 2012
11:15 pm
Opie go and find Aunt BEE and Otis! Tell Aunt Bee to take the computer from you and while Aunt Bee is at it, LET FLOYD CUT YOUR HAIR!
Not So Fast
January 10th, 2012
11:22 pm
cmp yds ypa td int rat
QB A 62.1 3,032 6.80 20 13 84.6
QB B 60.8 3,560 7.07 24 12 88.0
For all you Ryan haters QB A is Drew Brees average for his 1st 4 years STARTING and QB B is Matt Ryan’s average for his 1st 4 years starting. Also, Ryan’s includes his rookie year. Brees didn’t start but for one game his rookie year. Most telling is Ryan’s YPA through his 1st 4 is higher than Brees. So tell me again how Ryan is a bust?
JSS
January 10th, 2012
11:23 pm
@ FM…
Thanks for the laugh!!! Dimitroff is going to have to earn it now…
Rikus
January 10th, 2012
11:24 pm
He’s not a bust. He needs a new offense to run… and it looks like he’ll get one. Let’s just hope they hire the right and man and bring in the right offense.
Michael M.
January 10th, 2012
11:28 pm
Get Mualrky full of it to read some of these going away comments and how the Atlanta Fan Base ‘Shows the Love “.
Congratulations Sir and don’t come back unless called ! ! !
Tom G
January 10th, 2012
11:28 pm
Maybe M Ryan will get in the weight room and come out looking like a T Tebow clone. That way he should make it on 4th and inches next season?
Michael M.
January 10th, 2012
11:31 pm
Did anyone congratulate Van Gorder for stepping backwards again ? ………..I will ! >>>>>>>>>>>>……………………………Congrats Gordeeeeeeeeeee , and don’t come back either ! !
tidog
January 10th, 2012
11:31 pm
Raiders let their HC Hue Jackson blow in the wind. He has OC experience give him call.
Not So Fast
January 10th, 2012
11:32 pm
All these haters like to think he is a bust. But his career has started off better than Brees. Even with a better YPA than Brees. How bad do you wish all the people in San Diego that labeled Brees as a bust wish they had him back now?
Ding Dong...
January 10th, 2012
11:33 pm
…Mularkey’s gone. Good Riddance. Now the real story will be told on Ryan ,, because his failures won’t be able to be blamed on the OC next year (of course the hall pass will be extended by the AJC because Matty Melt will be learning a new system). Get ready for a lot of buzz and excitement ,, because our Falcons will be all new and shiny w/ BVG and MM gone ….Not! Dumbitroff traded away our ability to build an acceptable nucleus or core w/ the JJ trade and when you marry that up with the busted trades and draft choices from last 3-4 years ,, you can see why the Saints will own us for years to come. The only hope for this offense, given Scaredy Matts limitations will be to go into some west coast style offense ,,but Turner is not the right back for that system and face it Rodgers is just too small. Great Job putting back to back to back to back winnning seasons together ,,, because we can hang on to that one and take it too the bank ,, and just be satisfied with potentially making it to the playoffs ,, which absolutely will not happen next season. Look for 9-7 or 8-8 and not having to worry about winning the first playoff game under Smith and Ryan.
bama falcon fan
January 10th, 2012
11:33 pm
About time. Mike Smith needs to resign and get his health back. Falcons need to hire either a retread like Gruden or go for broke and hire the Panthers OC.
Matt Ryan
January 10th, 2012
11:33 pm
Happy Days are here again! Thanks Big M. Now hit the road.
Not So Fast
January 10th, 2012
11:33 pm
Yeah if anyone needs to get in the weight room it’s the O-line they couldn’t get any push against a Giant’s d-line built for pass rushing not eating up space.
Michael M.
January 10th, 2012
11:34 pm
@ Tom G…maybe they can get Matt rebuilt in the off season and he come out looking like ” Mr. T “, with an attitude instead of this nice boy crap !
ls1z28chris
January 10th, 2012
11:35 pm
With the pedophile mustached DC gone, as well as the completely inept OC, how many years before Matty Melt gets the boot?
I want to know, seriously. How many seasons are y’all going to give him to stop pretending and start being a good NFL QB?
JSS
January 10th, 2012
11:37 pm
Will you guys quit with the 2005/2011 Brees-Ryan comparisons… 1 name says it all Eric Parker! Brees somehow got Parker to 57 catches and a career high 725 yards in San Diego in 2005! And when they went in to repair his torn labrum, they found the damage in pre-existing damage in his rotator cuff that was repaired as well… That man had been playing with a bad wing… He’s never thrown for less than 4,300 yards or less than 514 attempts since the repair!
Fred Macmurray
January 10th, 2012
11:39 pm
@Opie
“Mularkey and Van Gorder are gone. What are your excuses next year when Mike Smith runs the same zone schemes and lame offensive system? The two gentlemen are scapegoats for the piss poor job that Mike Smith has done as head coach.”
You are correct sir.
So504
January 10th, 2012
11:40 pm
Its nice to c micheal m. Back on the post. Hadn’t heard from him since that saints whippin and that giants beat down! Though maybe u had a heart attack !
JSS
January 10th, 2012
11:40 pm
Tidog…
Hue jackson was Petrino’s OC when he was here… I don’t think he wants anymore to do with Flowery Branch!
Not So Fast
January 10th, 2012
11:41 pm
cmp yds ypa td int rat
Brees (1st 4 years starting) 62.1 3,032 6.80 20 13 84.6
Ryan (1st 4 years starting) 60.8 3,560 7.07 24 12 88.0
Numbers speak for themselves Ryan haters. Get over it Matt Ryan is going to be the quarterback of the Falcons for a long time. If you don’t like it find another team to pull for because it sure isn’t changing because a few non-athlete armchair qb’s want it to. Get over it.
Fred Macmurray
January 10th, 2012
11:42 pm
JSS, that surgeon did one heii of a job…