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Ridder finds Zaccheaus for a Falcons TD (0:22)

The Falcons took a 20-17 lead on a touchdown by Ridder and a conversion by Ridder. There is a 0:22

2:30 PM AST

The football and business heads of the Atlanta Falcons are being divided into two different jobs.

Rich McKay, who has been the president and chief executive officer of the Falcons since 2011, will remain as CEO and be in charge of the football operations of the team, but will hand off the business side of operations to Greg Beadles.

The chief operating officer of the Falcons has been Beadles for more than a year.

McKay will become the CEO of AMB Sports and Entertainment, a position previously held by Steve Cannon, who will become the vice chairman of AMBSE. Cannon will still be in charge of the new United president.

McKay said there is a time to plan for the future. Make sure people who have worked hard get their chance. This was the time for us.

The football side of the Falcons should stay the same. McKay is the chairman of the NFL's competition committee, and he led the search to hire GM Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith.

That was part of the plan when they moved.

McKay said he's happy with what he's seen from Smith and Fontenot so far. When the duo was hired, they knew they would have to dig out of a salary cap mess and remake a roster full of high priced veterans.

Since Atlanta hired them, McKay said he's as confident or more confident.

McKay said that he had seen a plan and the way they would play games and build a roster. Staying to the plan is the hardest thing for people to do in this business.

There is an opportunity, there is an injury, and they have not done that. They have followed the plan.

McKay did acknowledge that Smith and Fontenot will finally have salary-cap room this off-season to make moves they might desire and build their team, despite the fact that Atlanta has not been over.500 since the end of the last season.

The Falcons are expected to have at least $75 million in cap space by the start of the next fiscal year.

McKay said that you can have your expectations for next year and have an idea of where we are in the future. "We have more cap room, all thoseTrademarkiaTrademarkiaTrademarkias, we have more cap room, all thoseTrademarkiaTrademarkias, we have more cap room, all thoseTrademarkias, we have more cap room, allTrademarkias, we have more cap room, allTrademarkias, we It doesn't mean that everything will line up that way. I always say that is my only thing. I don't think it's appropriate for someone to say they need to go to the playoffs or win a lot of games. In the media, I like it.

We don't look at it that way. Are we going in the correct direction? Do we follow the plan? Are we making progress with the variables as well?