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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Greg Knapp returns to Atlanta Falcons as quarterback coach

FILE - Former Atlanta Falcons coach Jim Mora, right, watches the action in the third quarter with offensive coordinator Greg Knapp during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on In this Dec. 12, 2005. (Ric Feld / Associated Press)
Associated Press

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The Atlanta Falcons announced Monday that Greg Knapp is returning to the team as quarterback coach, working with 2016 MVP Matt Ryan.

Knapp replaces Bush Hamdan, who left to become the offensive coordinator at the University of Washington.

Knapp was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator under Jim Mora from 2004-06, when Michael Vick was the quarterback. Atlanta reached the NFC title game in 2004, but Mora and his staff were dismissed after the Falcons missed the playoffs the next two seasons.

In 2006, the Falcons rushed for a team-record 183.7 yards per game as Vick became the first quarterback in NFL history to run for 1,000 yards in a season.

The most recent stop in Knapp’s 30-year coaching career was Denver, where he worked from 2013-16 as quarterback coach and passing game coordinator. In 2014, Peyton Manning set NFL records by throwing for 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns.

In Atlanta, the 54-year-old Knapp will work with Steve Sarkisian, whose came under fire after the Falcons’ league-leading offense from 2016 struggled to put up consistent numbers in his first season as coordinator.