The great coach has been associated with the Falcons, and it appears that they are now closer than ever to signing him.
Bill Belichick and the Atlanta Falcons have been associated almost since the possibility that he would not rejoin the New England Patriots emerged. After an appalling season that saw New England far from contending, Belichick—possibly the most successful head coach in NFL history—left the Patriots after all parties decided it was time to move on.
Since every NFL insider with a pulse and a few reliable sources had been reporting that the Falcons wanted Belichick for weeks, the true question wasn’t whether or not they wanted him. It had been reported less comprehensively and with less lightness, raising the question of whether the interest was shared by both parties. It’s evident that the famous head coach has some interest in the position given the revelation that the Falcons had interviewed Belichick for the available position.
The #Falcons have interviewed six candidates for the head coaching job so far: Mike Macdonald, Steve Wilks, Brian Callahan, Ejiro Evero, Anthony Weaver and Bill Belichick.
They also have requested interviews with Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn, Raheem Morris and Antonio Pierce. https://t.co/IdwctXRK3g
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 16, 2024
Blank probably wants this completed as soon as possible, before Belichick’s position with the Dallas Cowboys becomes available and other teams make a serious run at him. However, after more than 20 years in New England, it’s unlikely that Belichick will be in a rush to close a deal. The fact that the two met in person—there was a lot of buzz on Twitter that they did so on Blank’s yacht, which I assume was not the meeting place for any other coaching contenders up to this point—means that Blank had the opportunity to make a strong presentation to Belichick about the position.
There’s also general consensus that Belichick might be interested in this position. Although I personally dislike the notion of the team pushing Terry Fontenot aside or out of the way completely to make room for Bill Belichick, the personnel “guru,” I have little doubt that Blank would be prepared to do so and reassign Rich McKay’s duties in order to accomplish this.
Belichick could land in the NFC South among a group of mediocre teams and likely enjoy more success right away than the Falcons have seen since 2017 with an organization that would grant him the authority he likes to have over football operations, a roster that is more talented than the one he is leaving behind with the Patriots, and the opportunity to hand-pick his next quarterback. Since 2017 the man is still a damn good coach, and he’ll probably build on the defensive progress we’ve already witnessed. If he selects Josh McDaniels to lead the offense instead of whatever kind of horrible chimera Matt Patricia and Joe Judge were in 2022, Atlanta’s short-term future is probably brighter.
The Falcons significantly underperformed in 2023 compared to their potential, and we doubt that a Belichick-led team will do much worse in 2024.
The long-term picture is less promising, particularly if Belichick gains that personnel dominance, as there is little doubt that Belichick the general manager consistently outplayed Belichick the coach, to the point where by 2023 the Patriots hardly had a respectable NFL offense. I think this hire would be much better if the Falcons kept their front office mostly intact and allowed Belichick to concentrate on coaching, but I don’t think Blank would stick to his guns and I don’t think Belichick would be much interested in that. In addition, there’s the question of whether Belichick’s harsh demeanor and controlling methods will work in a new company as opposed to the one he recently left, where he had complete control and a remarkable track record of achievement. The Falcons are aware that they will likely only have Belichick for a few years at the head of the team, so they are hiring him with the understanding that they will essentially need to succeed right away in order to justify the expense.
However, all of this is planning for a potential recruitment that isn’t quite certain yet. Clearly enthralled with the thought of bringing the greatest coach in NFL history to Atlanta, Blank is depending on Belichick to provide that kind of success, post-Tom Brady difficulties and recent years be damned. It remains to be seen if he can persuade Belichick that this is the ideal place for him to spend his retirement and pursue more rings, but if the Falcons aren’t interested in signing Belichick in the end, it won’t be for lack of effort.