Pees Excited to Work With Smith Again

Former Titans defensive coordinator ended retirement to reunite with his former offensive counterpart, who is now his boss.

Retirement just didn’t work for Dean Pees.

The 71-year-old attempted to step away from the game last January after a two-year stint (2018-2019) as Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator. He quickly realized and even publicly expressed his desire to coach again before the 2020 season was finished.

That does not mean Pees wanted just any job. He came out of retirement for one specific opportunity. And that was to be the defensive coordinator for Arthur Smith, who recently was named head coach of the Atlanta Falcons after spent 10 seasons with Tennessee, the last two as offensive coordinator.

“I came out of retirement because I missed it. And I think the world of Arthur Smith,” Pees said with emphasis at his introductory press conference on Friday. “I love working with him. Love working with him.

“... I had an itch, but I wasn’t going to go out and search for a job. I came here because of the Atlanta Falcons and Arthur Smith.”

Smith became the Titans offensive coordinator in 2019, Pees’ final season in Tennessee, after Matt LaFleur became the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. It was during that season when Smith and Pees formed a strong chemistry with each other.

The one thing that stood out most to Pees about Smith in 2019 was his cooperative nature. During practices, Smith would use his offense to help Pees make his defense better. Pees would use his defense to help Smith make improvements and adjustments to his offense.

Sometimes in the NFL, Pees explained, offensive and defensive coordinators can be very competitive within a team.

“You go out to practice, and somebody is trying to beat somebody else,” Pees, who has been in the NFL since 2004, said. “That’s really not the purpose of practice. The purpose of practice, when you’re practicing together, is to get better.

“... Arthur Smith was incredible. If I went to him and said, ‘I need you to do this on offense for me today so we can practice against it.’ It may not be something they hardly do. He would come to me and say, ‘I need you to play this coverage today in practice. Can you give me a couple snaps of that?’ He was incredible to work with.”

Pees has been a defensive coordinator in the NFL for 12 seasons, first with the New England Patriots (2006-2009), next with the Baltimore Ravens (2012-2017) and then with the Titans. Seven times, including in 2018 with Tennessee, his defenses finished among the NFL’s top 10 in yards allowed, and eight times, also including 2018, they finished among the top 10 in scoring. Only once have his units finished worse than 12th in points allowed.

The Titans’ defense did not perform as well without him in 2020. The unit finished 24th in points allowed, 28th in yards allowed, last in third-down defense and among the bottom in sacks (19).

Pees’ job now will be to fix one of the four defenses that gave up more yards than Tennessee. And he could not be any more excited for the challenge.

“I have been fortunate in 47 years to never have been fired,” Pees said. “That’s unique for a coach. That’s very unique. But I contribute that to, I love where I am. I am not looking for another job. I love where I am. I am really excited to be here in Atlanta.”

And to be back with Smith.