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Quick but sure Falcons turnaround has McKay's fingerprints all over it

Sporting News, The, Dec 27, 2004 by Paul Attner

With every victory, this season becomes sweeter and sweeter for Rich McKay, who should be the NFL's executive of the year. A year ago, he wasn't good enough anymore for Tampa Bay, even though he had rescued the franchise from seemingly permanent ineptness and molded it into a Super Bowl champion. Now he's one of the major reasons the Falcons have championship ambitions of their own.

McKay's ability to analyze the turmoil he inherited after being named Atlanta's general manager last December and then execute a few significant changes, starting with the hiring of Jim Mora to coach the team, has proved the correct formula for what was ailing the Falcons. McKay wasn't in pursuit of the big splash; he'd rather generate small but consistent ripples that lead to stability and long-term achievement.

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That's what makes all the happiness in Atlanta so impressive. McKay thought by bolstering his defense with just a limited number of new players and employing a head coach with a plan to develop Michael Vick, the Falcons would improve and still not put themselves in salary-cap jeopardy or sell out by signing free agents. He was determined to use the draft as the primary building method, not some quick-fix approach.

He cheated, too. Most new general managers aren't hired until the offseason and then need time to evaluate personnel. But McKay moved immediately from the Bucs to the Falcons and used the final weeks of last season to begin his dissection of the team's woes. "We got to know the team, and I knew we had to make some changes in the locker room, to send the right message about what we now were expecting from our players."

And sometimes you have to get lucky. Lovie Smith was considered McKay's first coaching choice. But Mora's interview won over McKay and his decision to go with Mora was especially telling. He was willing to trust his instincts about this energetic coach, and certainly Mora's role in prodding his team toward maximum potential can't be overstated.

"There is always a temptation and a pressure to do it faster," says McKay. "To shore up every possible hole you have. But what experience has taught me is that you need to be patient with everything. Don't be rushing."

Unless, of course, the rushing leads to a Super Bowl. For that, McKay wouldn't mind being in a hurry.

Quick but sure Falcons turnaround has McKay's fingerprints all over it

Sporting News, The, Dec 27, 2004 by Paul Attner

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