Steve Sarkisian Comments on Leaving Alabama to Become Falcons OC

New Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian commented on his departure from Alabama after just one game in an interview Monday with TMZ Sports. 

"You get great opportunities, you just try to take advantage of them," Sarkisian said.

Sarkisian, 42, took over as Alabama's offensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide's national championship game loss to Clemson. He was scheduled to take over the full-time gig for Lane Kiffin beginning in 2017 but resigned to take the Falcons' offensive coordinator job earlier this month.

Morgan Moriarty, Jason Kirk, and Steven Godfrey of SB Nation reported Sarkisian's already-tense relationship with coach Nick Saban helped expedite his departure. Saban and Sarkisian reportedly had philosophical differences that echoed the Alabama coach's issues with Kiffin.

“There was an effort on Saban’s part not to repeat the same problem. This wasn’t going to work out,” a source told SB Nation.

Philosophical differences are no stranger to the Falcons, who had an entire fanbase deriding their offensive play-calling after their Super Bowl LI collapse against the New England Patriots. Former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, now the head coach in San Francisco, all but abandoned the run in the second half despite Atlanta leading by as many as 25 points.

Sarkisian refused to add to the chorus of criticism. 

"Every game's different. You make your calls and you live with them, and you do the best you can through preparation," Sarkisian said. "I know they're proud of getting there and getting to that point, but we got something to strive for now."

A longtime fixture in the college sports scene, this is Sarkisian's second NFL job. He previously served as the Oakland Raiders' quarterbacks coach in 2004.