'Outstanding' Falcons Coach Dave Ragone Has Fan in Rams' Sean McVay
Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone is far from the most talked about coach on the staff.
One of the first coaches to be brought to Atlanta after head coach Arthur Smith took over in January of 2021, Ragone is often kept out of the limelight due to the relative obscurity of his role.
In most cases, the offensive coordinator is responsible for calling plays, but in Atlanta, Smith is the one behind the play sheet relaying the information to quarterback Marcus Mariota. As a result, Ragone does most of his work behind the scenes during the week, working primarily on implementing plays and game plans.
However, ahead of Sunday's Week 2 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, Ragone was brought to light, in large part due to Rams head coach Sean McVay, who worked alongside Ragone, then an offensive quality control assistant, with the Washington Commanders as the team's offensive coordinator in 2015.
Though Ragone departed Washington after that season, he's carried the lessons learned from McVay to each stop in his career since, including a stint as the Chicago Bears' passing game coordinator. Now, he's up to the job of putting together a gameplan to takedown McVay and the Rams' high-powered offense.
With the competition looming, McVay reflected on his past with Ragone and broke him down as both a human and coach.
“Outstanding," McVay said directly. "Dave and I go back a long ways. Really close friend, great human being. Obviously, he was a great player too. He was a baller at Louisville. But he's got a great capacity for the game, really knows all 22, great ability to be able to connect with his players."
Ragone was a three-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year while starring at Louisville in the early 2000's. His success with the Cardinals led to a three-year stint in the NFL with the Houston Texans and another overseas in NFL Europe, where he won Offensive MVP honors.
The 42-year-old Ragone spent the early years of his professional coaching journey working, unsurprisingly, as a quarterbacks coach. He also spent time working with receivers before moving into his role coordinating the passing game in his final year with the Bears.
Despite being quarterback-centered for so much of his football career, be it as a player or coach, Ragone has managed to craft a well-rounded skillset and expand his knowledge far beyond the position, according to McVay.
"I think whether it be the quarterback, he knows every position on the field, but his ability to connect," said McVay, highlighting Ragone's greatest strength. "(Ragone can) really build and develop relationships, communicate, all the things that I think make a good coach - Dave does those things. He's one of my good friends and (I) love Dave Ragone, love his kids and his wife, Marju. They mean a lot to me.”
McVay and Ragone are evidently close off the field. However, when Sunday's game kicks off at 4 p.m., all that will matter is putting up more points than the other.
Regardless, for the pair of Ohio natives, the opportunity to face off has been years in the making and is sure to foster a competitive environment in SoFi Stadium.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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