The Falcons yesterday announced that GM Thomas Dimitroff has been "stripped of pro and college scouting, NFL draft responsibilities and the head coach from directly reporting to him in a major realignment of the front office," according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. As part of the realignment, Assistant GM Scott Pioli "will take on pro and college scouting and NFL draft responsibilities, while still reporting to Dimitroff." In addition to keeping his title, Dimitroff will "retain management responsibility for salary cap, player affairs, equipment, sports medicine and performance, and video activities." The Falcons are in the midst of a head coaching search, and Dimitroff also lost "control of the head coach as a direct-report in this restructuring." Pioli "will be supported" by Falcons Dir of Player Personnel Lionel Vital, who will "assume additional pro scouting responsibilities and play a role in college scouting," and Dir of College Scouting Steve Sabo (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 1/8). Ledbetter also noted the Falcons, by "expanding the role" of Pioli, are "trying to emulate the model" that the Ravens have in place. Ravens Assistant GM Eric DeCosta "handles similar duties and reports" to GM Ozzie Newsome. The Vikings are also another team "with this scouting model" (AJC.com, 1/7).
BLANK CANVAS: In Atlanta, Jeff Schultz notes the team maintains that Dimitroff will "still have final say over personnel matters but it was such a clumsily worded release that it’s difficult to know for sure what will happen." The only certainty is that Falcons Owner Arthur Blank "still has a job -- and his visibility has not decreased." In fact, it is "going up." Blank is "becoming higher profile than usual in football operations." Schultz: "That’s fine. It’s his team. But the wording in the official news release was intriguing and left me wondering if he was evolving into a junior Jerry Jones" (AJC.com, 1/7).
IS THIS A DEMOTION? In Atlanta, Mark Bradley writes, "Just when you think the Falcons have lost their capacity to make us go, 'Huh?' they do this." The club "appears to have deposed its general manager without actually deposing him." Dimitroff gets to "keep his job but not his job description." Bradley: "Can anyone read that and see it as a vote of confidence for Dimitroff’s 'scouting efforts'? And if the Falcons have lost faith in the former scout, why keep him around?" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 1/8). The JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION's Bradley writes, "I’m not saying this a bad move." But if Pioli is "doing the scouting and drafting, why do the Falcons still need Dimitroff?" (AJC.com, 1/7).
PRICE IS RIGHT: In Atlanta, Tim Tucker in a front-page piece reports the Falcons will "seek $45,000 for personal seat licenses from fans who want the best seats in the new stadium under construction downtown." The Falcons today plan to "present their PSL pricing plan for the stadium’s club seats to the Georgia World Congress Center Authority board at a special called meeting." The plan "calls for the $45,000 fee to apply to each of 1,200 lower-bowl seats near the 50-yard line." Another 6,500 prime seats will "carry PSLs ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 each." The plan "covers roughly" 11% of the seats in the 71,000-seat stadium. PSLs also will be "required for all other seats sold as season tickets, but those prices won’t be set until later in the year." They will be at "various price points below $10,000" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 1/8).
