HOUSTON, Texas -- Arriving at Super Bowl LI, Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff has been reflecting on a roller coaster of emotions, as the past few years have been among the toughest in his career and personal life.
It has been nine years since Dimitroff left the New England Patriots, who the Falcons meet on Sunday. He was the Patriots' director of college scouting from 2003-07 before leaving to turn around the Falcons at a critical point in their history.
After a five-year stretch of unprecedented Falcons success under Dimitroff (2008-12), things plummeted quickly when they slipped to 4-12 during an injury-ravaged 2013 season and then went 6-10 the following year.