FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga., Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Five-time Pro Bowl defensive back and current Atlanta Falcons secondary coach Emmitt Thomas has been hired to complete the season as the Falcons' head coach.
Thomas replaces Bobby Petrino, who abruptly resigned Tuesday to take the coaching position at the University of Arkansas. Petrino was on the job less than a year and the Falcons were 3-10 under him.
Thomas will be the team's interim head coach for the final three games of the 2007 season.
He has been a part of the Falcons organization since 2002, most recently as coach of the team's defensive backs. He also has been a defensive coordinator at Philadelphia, Green Bay and Minnesota and has been an NFL assistant coach since 1981.
Thomas was selected to the Pro Bowl five times during a 13-year career with the Kansas City Chiefs. He played in both Super Bowl I and Super Bowl IV.
Before Thomas' move to the head coach's office, the week been bad news for the Falcons. On Monday suspended quarterback Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for his guilty plea in a dogfighting case, the team was beaten 34-14 by New Orleans on Monday night and Tuesday Petrino quit.
