Super Bowl LI: 5 Things the 49ers Can Learn from the Falcons and Patriots
By Peter Panacy
No. 5: Turnarounds Can Be Quick
It’s not surprising to see New England in yet another Super Bowl. The Patriots are a dynasty and have been contenders since the early 2000s.
But the Falcons are another story.
In 2013 and 2014, Atlanta went 4-12 and 6-10, respectively, under former head coach Mike Smith. The Falcons were bad, although they certainly had more pieces in place than the 49ers do now.
Then former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn came in and changed things in 2015. Atlanta went 8-8 that year, and it wasn’t too hard to see the franchise was moving in the right direction.
Quinn ushered in a new culture — yes, Jed York, we heard you — and brought a championship-caliber mindset, likely from Quinn’s days in Seattle, that permeated throughout what was a scuffling Falcons team.
HIs second season? Well, Atlanta is in the Super Bowl.
San Francisco’s road may be a bit longer. But with Kyle Shanahan one game away from a Super Bowl ring of his own, the Niners may be that much closer to reaching a sixth Lombardi trophy.