New Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot joined Adam Shefter’s podcast this week. Fontenot hit on a variety of topics including making the transition from a heated rival in the New Orleans Saints.
The entire podcast is over 40 minutes long. This is just a small snippet, and we encourage you to listen to the entirety here:
Fontenot said he learned a lot about different organizations while going through the interview process. What did the lifelong New Orleans Saint learn about the Atlanta Falcons?
“If you would have asked me midway through the season, or even a year ago, I would have laughed,” said Fontenot on the prospect of leaving the Saints for the Falcons. “There’s no chance that could ever happen. But it’s funny because now I have so many friends and family that want me to send them Falcons gear.”
“I read Arthur’s book. It meant a lot to me, because it is about winning. It is about winning the right way, but there’s a principled approach in everything he does. He wants to do things the right way with the right people.”
“Once I got on the interview, he didn’t disappoint. From Arthur and Rich McKay, Arthur Blank’s sons were on the interview as well. You can’t fake that. They’re really good people. That really spoke to me.”
“They want to affect the community. They want to do things the right way. That really spoke to me as a person. Through this process, I learned a lot about the Falcons, and I really wanted to be here.”
Shefter picked up on Fontenot’s first comment about not being able to picture himself working for the Falcons after spending so much time as a Saint. How is the transition going for him?
“It’s interesting, because growing up right there and being in Louisiana it’s always been black and gold. It’s always been black and gold for my family. My dad is close to 80 years old, and he’s been a Saints fan for a long time. It’s just crazy how quick you can make that switch.”
“Already, it just seems normal to me. When you’re so ingrained in the process, you just put your head down, and you keep working. You’re wearing different colors. I would have never thought if you asked me a month ago, but now it just seems normal.”
“There’s been so many people that want to be here. Whether people want to work in the building, or there’s a lot of Louisiana Atlanta Falcons fans.”
The full 43 minute podcast with Adam Shefter and Terry Fontenot can be listened to here:
