Falcons Rise Up

Dan Quinn on the 7 factors that paved Atlanta’s path to LI

The Atlanta Falcons’ run to the NFC championship demonstrated the team’s remarkable progress under Head Coach Dan Quinn. He is back in familiar territory, having won Super Bowl XLVIII as Offensive Coordinator with the Seahawks, but he insists the two cannot be compared: “It’s now this group going through this trip together.”

And what a trip. On Sunday evening in Houston, the Falcons return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1998 where ’s stand between Quinn’s team and a maiden NFL championship. Ahead of the 2016 season, the Leaders Performance Institute sat down with Quinn to assess his plans for ensuring a successful campaign. Seven factors stood out but little did we know they would lead to Super Bowl LI. Here they are in all their glory.

Dan Quinn has led the Atlanta Falcons to the NFC championship and Super Bowl LI in only his second sea-son as Head Coach. He began his NFL coaching career in 2001 as the San Francisco 49ers’ Defensive Quality Control Coach and went on to spend six years coaching defensive lines for the 49ers, Miami Dolphins and the Jets before joining the as the Assistant Head Coach & Defensive Line Coach. Quinn spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Florida Gators before returning to Seattle in January 2013 and going on to win Super Bowl XLVIII as Want more ideas? visit leadersinsport.com Defensive Coordinator. Performance Lessons PERFORMANCE from Leaders

1 2 3 4 Getting the requisite Empowering players Knowing the Connecting the dots reps personalities on your during a game Not that this process is a one- roster Atlanta’s first-half obliteration way street, as Quinn expects There is very little instructional players to play their part in of the Green Bay Packers in the Emotional intelligence is one feedback proffered during games shaping practice sessions. He NFC championship game was of Quinn’s strengths and he but Quinn has mastered the art of explains: “We’ll ask players if no accident – the hard yards knows how to tailor his message the emotional one-word trigger. there’s any calls they didn’t like were put in on the practice field. to each player. “When some “We don’t need dissertations,” he or are uncomfortable with so “The most effective instructional people make mistakes they asserts. “If things are going badly that we can work on it ahead of feedback happens during don’t necessarily need an arm there could be one word or a the game.” Quinn is in no doubt practice,” says Quinn. “You’re around them – they need to trigger that gets them going back that empowerment comes when able as a coach to make that be challenged,” he observes. the right way.” player-coach communication is assessment and the correction “Other times they need that clear. “We’re always asking if right away; that makes a big encouragement and I try to point there’s things we could do better,” difference. Sometimes it’s just out examples of what they look he adds. “Even if that process reminders: ‘these things are like at their best, whether that’s takes a little time let’s do that.” important during a game. I’m in a team or unit meeting or going to ensure that we stay on individually. I’ll say, ‘Let’s make top of that.’” sure this type of performance is to be expected.’” Performance Lessons PERFORMANCE from Leaders

5 6 7 Using the crowd… Celebrating bench Knowing when you’ve sparingly players been a hit

When the Falcons found their Quinn freely admits he manages How does Quinn know when his fans in raptures at the Georgia those players with minimal game team talks have been successful? Dome during that rout of Green time differently and it is critical “When I hear players say the Bay, Quinn was mining that to keep them on side. “You don’t same message,” he replies. seam for all it was worth. He want to diminish the player “That’s when I know we’re explains: “When the emotion even if he’s only playing a small on point; if the players and is there you can encourage percentage,” he says. “His reps coaches are repeating it then the and feed off that - ‘listen to are integral to the team so you message has gotten through and this crowd at the back of you’.” try to celebrate those moments in those are the times when I’ve There is, however, a line he says practice and in team meetings.” had the most success. When it’s cannot be crossed: “Sometimes a small message that resonated when that noise is going around with everyone and had the you can get to be real specific greatest impact on the game.” with a player; ‘make sure we stay connected to this’. You want him to have fun but he must stay true to his discipline.”