Atlanta reportedly hiring new assistant OL coach Shawn Flaherty

Atlanta recently lost assistant offensive line coach Chandler Henley to the Dolphins, where he took on a new position as an assistant quarterbacks coach. The Falcons have made their hire to replace him, and it’s...the assistant offensive line coach from the Dolphins. Life’s funny like that.

Per NFL analyst Will Parkinson and further confirmed by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Falcons have hired Shawn Flaherty after three years in Miami. Flaherty came aboard with his dad, 20-year NFL offensive line coach Pat Flaherty, back in 2019 and stuck around after the elder Flaherty was fired.

Flaherty had been an assistant on the Dolphins coaching staff for the past three seasons, and just wrapped up his first year as an assistant offensive line coach. I don’t put a ton of stock in ESPN’s pass blocking and run blocking win rates, but it’s worth noting that the Dolphins had the 9th-best run blocking win rate and were dead last in pass blocking win rate in 2021. Four of the five listed starters for the Dolphins offensive line were 25 or younger, however, and Flaherty’s experience helping to develop that young talent likely was important to the Falcons.

In Atlanta, Flaherty will be tasked with similar development work for linemen like Matt Hennessy, Jalen Mayfield, and Drew Dalman, plus anyone the team adds in the draft. He and offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford will have their work cut out for them turning an oft-shaky line into a plus for what we all hope is a greatly improved offense, but we’ll be rooting hard for them to do so. Give Flaherty a warm welcome and hope he can be an asset for this Falcons team.