Falcons interviewing Panthers WRs coach Frisman Jackson for OC job

Late last week, we heard from NFL insider Adam Caplan that Bears passing game coordinator Dave Ragone was a possibility for the Falcons offensive coordinator job under new head coach Arthur Smith. Today, we have a second candidate to throw in the mix for that opening, as the Falcons have reportedly interviewed Panthers wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson.

Jackson had 40 receptions in a four year career as a receiver with the Browns, and transitioned from there into a coaching career. He’s spent over a decade as a wide receivers coach in college and the NFL, with his most noteworthy stints being in Temple (where he was also the passing game coordinator in 2015 and 2016), the Panthers last year, Baylor from 2018-2019, and of course the Titans back in 2017. That last stint would be the one Arthur Smith would be drawing on with this hire, and Jackson must have made a major impression in the one year both coaches were on staff with Tennessee.

Smith seems likely to call plays in Atlanta, so Ragone or Jackson would be on board to assist with everything else that goes into scheming, planning, and coordinating an offense. Jackson doesn’t have the one year of passing game coordinator experience, but he’s clearly a respected wide receivers coach and someone Smith would trust to take on a more prominent role with the Falcons. It’s worth noting that Temple’s passing attack was pretty good with Jackson at the helm in 2015-2016, back when current Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and backup quarterback P.J. Walker were there. Given that he also spent time with Rhule at Baylor, it would not be surprising to learn he’s a Rhule-endorsed candidate, especially after doing good work with Curtis Samuel and Robby Anderson in 2020.

We’ll see who the Falcons ultimately hire and if there are more names to come, but expect every candidate to have some degree of overlap with Smith’s time in Tennessee.