Mike Smith is a former American football coach who has had a long and successful career in the sport. He began his coaching career in the early 1980s as a graduate assistant at San Diego State University. From there, he moved on to various assistant coaching positions at different colleges and universities, including Tennessee Tech, Morehead State, and the University of Kentucky.
In 1999, Smith made the jump to the professional ranks when he was hired as a defensive assistant for the Baltimore Ravens. He quickly moved up the ranks, becoming the team's defensive coordinator in 2005. During his time with the Ravens, Smith helped lead the team to a Super Bowl victory in 2001 and was widely regarded as one of the top defensive coordinators in the league.
In 2008, Smith was hired as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He quickly turned the struggling franchise around, leading them to the playoffs in his first season and earning himself the NFL Coach of the Year award. Over the next several years, Smith continued to lead the Falcons to success, including four playoff appearances and a trip to the NFC Championship game in 2012.
After a disappointing 2013 season, Smith was fired by the Falcons and spent the next year out of coaching. However, in 2015 he was hired as the defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he spent two seasons before being let go in 2017.
Throughout his career, Smith was known for his defensive expertise and his ability to get the most out of his players. He was widely respected by his peers and players alike, and his teams were known for their toughness and discipline on the field.
Overall, Mike Smith had a long and successful career in football, spanning several decades and including stints at both the college and professional levels. While he may not have achieved the same level of success as some of the all-time great coaches, he was a respected and accomplished figure in the sport and left a lasting impact on the teams he coached.
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