Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley is one of several players scheduled to become a free agent when the new league years begins on March 17th at 4 p.m. ET.
Gurley signed a one-year deal worth a reported $6 million with the Falcons ahead of the 2020 season after being cut by the Los Angeles Rams. The start of Gurley's first year in Atlanta was promising but by the end of the season he was used as a featured back by the team. The former first-round pick rushed for 678 yards on 195 carries and scored nine touchdowns last season.
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When asked if the Falcons hiring Arthur Smith as head coach would make him want to continue to stay in Atlanta, Gurley expressed his excitement.
"You get excited about a coach that runs the ball which you know doesn't happen very often," Gurley said on NFL Network on Wednesday. "So you definitely get super excited about that. I definitely have to reach out to him and [Terry Fontenot] just to be able to talk to them to see what they're thinking and just get a head start on the free agency thing."
A big reason Smith was one of the most coveted candidates in this year's head coach search was because of his work in the run game over the last two years in Tennessee. During Smith's two seasons as offensive coordinator, All-Pro running back Derrick Henry reached career-highs, including last season when he rushed for 2,027 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the first time and received a full tour from President & CEO Rick McKay.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith talk on the field during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith talk on the field during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith walks onto the field to meet general manager Terry Fontenot during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith look on from the field during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot talk on the field during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot poses for a portrait during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith poses for a portrait during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith fist bump on the field during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot walks out onto the field to meet head coach Arthur Smith their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith fist bump on the field during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith meets general manager Terry Fontenot's family during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay shakes hands with general manager Terry Fontenot during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith talk on the field during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay walks out onto the field to greet head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot talks to president Rich McKay and head coach Arthur Smith on the field during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot's family walks out onto the field and meets head coach Arthur Smith during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot's family walks out onto the field during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay fist bumps general manager Terry Fontenot during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot's children play on the field during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay escorts general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith into the Falcons locker room during Fontenot's and Smith's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, head coach Arthur Smith, and president Rich McKay walk int he hallway during Fontenot's and Smith's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith looks on in the Falcons locker room during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith look on in the Falcons locker room during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith checks out the head coach's office in the Falcons locker room during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, head coach Arthur Smith, and president Rich McKay walk int he hallway during Fontenot's and Smith's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith looks on during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
AMBSE CEO Steve Cannon greets Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, head coach Arthur Smith, and president Rich McKay walk int he hallway during Fontenot's and Smith's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith look on in the Falcons locker room during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay escorts general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith into the Falcons locker room during Fontenot's and Smith's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay escorts general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith into the Falcons locker room during Fontenot's and Smith's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay plays with general manager Terry Fontenot's son in the locker room during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot's family in the locker room during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot's family in the locker room during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot's son throws a football in the locker room during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and his family pose for a portrait during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay leads general manager Terry Fontenot on a tour during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay leads general manager Terry Fontenot on a tour during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot looks on during a tour of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot's children look on during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith walks on the field during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot poses for a portrait during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith talks to a staff member during his first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and his wife pose for a portrait during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith talk on the field during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot meets head coach Arthur Smith's family during Fontenot's and Smith's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021. (Photo by Dakota Williams/Atlanta Falcons).
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot's daughter walks out onto the field during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot's daughter tosses a football on the field during Fontenot's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith talk on the field during their first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday January 21, 2021.
