The Falcons signed head coach Mike Smith to a three-year contract extension on Thursday. Smith led the Falcons to an NFC-best 13-3 record in 2010.

In three seasons with the Falcons, Smith has yet to record a losing season, leading Atlanta to the playoffs twice with a combined record of 33-15. He was the 2008 AP Coach of the Year.

"When we hired Mike Smith in 2008, we believed we had found the total package: a head coach with strong leadership skills and experience and the track record to back it up, and a man of high character and integrity," Falcons owner & CEO Arthur Blank said in the team's release. "In his three seasons with us, Coach Smith has demonstrated all of these characteristics, and then some.

"We are pleased to extend Smitty's contract, and we are very proud of the way he represents the Falcons through his coaching of our players, in supporting our club's business goals, and through his caring for our fans and the community."

"I am looking forward to continuing to build upon the solid foundation we have in place within our organization and on our football team," Smith said.

The way we see it

Smith is one of the league's best and most underrated coaches, and Blank is giving him a well-deserved extension. Despite the team's struggles in the postseason, Smith gets credit for getting the Falcons to win consistently with a young QB in Matt Ryan. This past season marked the first time in franchise history the Falcons had three consecutive winning seasons.