Having earned the honor as The Sporting News' executive of the year for two of his three seasons as an NFL general manager, Thomas Dimitroff received a contract extension from the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday, the team announced on its official Twitter account.
Under Dimitroff, the Falcons have posted three consecutive winning seasons - the franchise had never even posted back-to-back winning seasons before his tenure - including postseason appearances in 2008 and 2010.
Last season, the Falcons went 13-3 and were the No. 1 seed in the NFC for only the second time in franchise history, but lost to Green Bay in their first game. The Falcons have yet to win a playoff game under Dimitroff.
Dimitroff came from the New England organization, where he specialized in college scouting. He has shown a strong record of drafting with the Falcons, including the following starters: quarterback Matt Ryan; left tackle Sam Baker; safeties Thomas DeCoud and William Moore; and linebackers Curtis Lofton and Sean Weatherspoon.
The Falcons have also made strong moves in free agency, signing running back Michael Turner, and even Dimitroff's most notable trade, for tight Tony Gonzalez, has proven a winner.
Dimitroff's contract extension follows that of head coach Mike Smith. Smith was a little-known defensive coordinator in Jacksonville when Dimitroff, in his first month as GM, hired him for his first head-coaching job. In Smith Dimitroff chose a consummate and effective pro.
"This extension of Thomas' contract ensures that he and Coach Smith, whose contract was extended last month, will be able to continue to work together on solidifying the long-term sustainability and success of our football team," Falcons owner and CEO Arthur M. Blank said in a quote on the team's Web site. "Thomas has proven himself to be a highly skilled and talented general manager of our club, and I look forward to the Falcons reaping the benefits of his work for many years to come."
Exact terms of the contract were unknown.
