Following a second consecutive 7-10 season, the Atlanta Falcons have decided to divide their football and business leaders into two separate positions.
Team president and chief executive offer Rich McKay will remain as CEO and in charge of football operations, but new team president Greg Beadles will now handle the business operations.
Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees announced his retirement after 50 years in coaching.
McKay, 63, who has held those roles with the Falcons since 2011, will also become the CEO of AMB Sports and Entertainment. Beadles, who has been with the organization for more than a quarter-century, has served as chief operating officer since last March.
McKay led the search to hire general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith in 2021 and said Sunday he is “as confident or more confident” in Smith and Fontenot since Atlanta hired them.
“There’s a distraction; there’s an opportunity; there’s an injury and you change, and they have not done that,” McKay said. “They have stayed to the plan.”
McKay acknowledged Smith and Fontenot will have salary-cap room to make moves and build the team this offseason.
Pees, 73, came out of retirement to coach under Smith in 2021. Pees informed players Monday morning that he’s retiring — again.
The Falcons thanked Pees on social media.
“You appreciate all the work and the sacrifice,” Smith said of Pees. “We all get paid to do this and we’re lucky as hell, but there are sacrifices you have to make. Dean’s a guy who has coached at every level and had success. He has impacted a lot of lives and he has impacted the game.”
–Field Level Media
