ets per load"Falcons tight end Austin Hooper found his stride in 2018 Black Austin Hooper Jersey , earning his first Pro Bowl nod and becoming a household name in the process. And looking ahead to the 2019 season, Hooper figures to play a prominent, essential role in offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter’s Falcons offense version 2.0. Three years ago, Hooper was a Stanford draft prospect with allegedly questionable route running ability. Now Hooper is a seasoned vet, and he’s assumed a definite leadership role. So when he talks, I tend to listen. Hooper shed some light on a small but important change in the Falcons’ offensive approach during a presser last week. Simply stated, the team is asking their receivers to change how they approach route running. (Credit to The Mothership’s Will McFadden for the quote.) This is Koetter’s attempt to win the mental battle offenses undertake every week facing increasingly sophisticated and talented defenses. Modern football is a chess game, and if there’s any way to simplify what each man is expected to do Austin Hooper Jersey 2019 , then it’s worth entertaining, at least in theory. Their theory is basically this: if you’re counting steps, you don’t need to look at the yard markers; you can pay closer attention to the defense in front of you. There’s a glaring problem with this thinking. In short, not every football player can fit into that mold. Some guys count steps because that’s what comes naturally to them. Some guys can’t count and run at the same time. It really comes down to how an individual player’s mind functions. If you’re Julio Jones, then your robotic gps allows you to run each route confidently. But for the mortal wide receivers on the Falcons roster, you hope this isn’t a well-intentioned attempt to fit round pegs into square holes. Your thoughts about this change to the Falcons offense, Falcoholics? We missed the milestone last year, but it’s time to reckon with Dimitroff’s place in the team’s history." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteThe Falcoholican Atlanta Falcons communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsLibraryFalconsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Library FalcFans Podcast on The FalcoholicContact The FalcoholicFalcons StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Falcons NewsYahoo Falcons Team PageYahoo Falcons ReportYahoo Falcons Depth ChartYahoo Falcons TransactionsYahoo Falcons PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Thomas Dimitroff has been GM longer than any other executive in Falcons historyNew youth Devonta Freeman Jersey ,42commentsWe missed the milestone last year, but it’s time to reckon with Dimitroff’s place in the team’s history. EDTShareTweetShareShareThomas Dimitroff has been GM longer than any other executive in Falcons historyPhoto by Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesSometimes milestones creep up on you. That’s how I somehow missed that 2018 was the 11th year with Thomas Dimitroff at the helm as the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, despite the fact that it makes him the longest-tenured man in that role in team history. It took the departure of Scott Pioli to make me go back and look, but lo and behold, Dimitroff’s made some history. The only man who comes close is Ken Herock, who presided over an era of (relative, given the team’s history) success from 1987 to 1996. He was at the helm for 10 seasons, while Dimitroff is entering his 12th season with the Falcons Stitched Devonta Freeman Jersey , an era that is both longer and more successful than anything Herock could have dreamed of. We’ve spent enough time speculating about what might happen to this front office should things go awry this year, but regardless of what happens in the coming years, Dimitroff has cemented himself as the greatest GM in team history. I know that particular sentence won’t go down easy for some, but consider that under Dimitroff’s hair gelled reign, the Falcons have:Drafted their best QB ever and their sole MVP in Matt RyanSigned or drafted two of the most productive RBs in team history (Michael Turner and Devonta Freeman)Drafted the best receiver in team history in Julio JonesAdded top-flight talent at positions ranging from LT to DT to LB to CB to SSigned, in a stroke of minor genius, the best kicker in team history in Matt BryantHas provided the talent that took the Falcons to two NFC Conference Championships and just their second Super Bowl, and has presided over easily the winningest era in team historyDimitroff’s notable missteps along the way will ensure he gets heat whether he’s here for another season or another 20 Black Giorgio Tavecchio Jersey , but the items above lay out his case pretty neatly. Dimitroff has consistently nailed the biggest picks of his tenure and has, if a mixed track record in free agency, one that still has resulted in the team landing some of their best players of the last decade-plus. The only thing that has yet eluded the Falcons under Dimitroff, of course, is the one thing every Falcons fan, player, executive, and owner want more than anything else: A Lombardi Trophy. If he can bring that home Giorgio Tavecchio Jersey 2019 , his place in team history will be truly secure, but for now get used to someday telling your grandkids about the spiky-haired best personnel man in team history, likely by leading with the Matt Ryan pick and including the phrase “urgent athleticism” in there somewhere.