The Falcons are officially in the market for a new head coach, a search that is being led by Arthur Blank and Rich McKay with input from Terry Fontenot.
There isn’t yet a timetable for the hiring, but the group intends to cast a wide net and take its time making a decision. The pool of candidates is quite vast, featuring plenty of different prospects.
Some with no experience, some with more seasons under their belt than their players have been alive. Some with defensive backgrounds, others who cut their teeth on the offensive side of the ball. The Falcons will not have a limited supply of options.
It’s an intriguing roster, filled with desirable young pieces, particularly on the offensive side of the ball — Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson — with a stout line and a more than respectable core on defense.
Arthur Blank is also a selling point that many fans aren’t considering. Though Atlanta’s owner has his faults, he’s willing to put his money where his mouth is and give his head coach anything they need to succeed.
Moreover, the Falcons could have as much as $50 million in cap space with an arsenal of draft picks to build the roster out, making it one of the most enticing head coaching vacancies.
So, let’s get to the rumors, candidates, and more from Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
The first nugget starts with Bill Belichick, who we know is a Falcons target, but Graziano does add a new wrinkle that it would be a good fit for Belichick as much as it would be for the Falcons.
“I’ve also been told people close to Belichick believe it would be a good fit for him. It’s a strong roster that, yes, needs to figure out the quarterback position. It’s in a relatively calm market where he could be all about the football. And he’d have a team owner who doesn’t meddle in day-to-day affairs.”
Belichick has been the only potential candidate linked to the opening in Atlanta, and it makes sense for a few different reasons, but none more than Blank being enamored by “The Patriot Way” Belichick created in Foxborough. He’s considered by many to be the GOAT in his field, and who could argue? He’s won more Super Bowls than any coach in league history, but that shouldn’t matter anymore.
I’m of the opinion that a 72-year-old Belichick isn’t what’s best for Atlanta. The Falcons don’t have a quarterback, which is the exact reason the Patriots have failed in the post-Tom Brady era. Moreover, given his autonomy in New England, some might expect that personnel decision making power to remain wherever he goes. Though I don’t see it that way, I’d hate this scenario even more if Belichick’s same responsibilities continued in Atlanta.
Another candidate with more experience than just about everyone else in the pool is fresh off a national championship — Jim Harbaugh, according to Fowler.
“I’m also not discounting Atlanta getting involved with Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, though I don’t think that has happened to this point. This is a quality job with a talented yet underachieving roster. It seems tailored for someone such as Belichick or Harbaugh.”
Harbaugh’s responsible for an 86-25 record at Michigan, ending with a title, but he’s had success at every stop along his journey. He led Stanford to an 11-1 season in 2010 then moved on to the 49ers, where he coached for four seasons to the tune of a 44-19-1 record, including double-digit win seasons in his first three years.
Harbaugh also led the Niners to the NFC Championship in 2011 and 2013 as well as the Super Bowl in 2012, where he lost to his brother, John. He’s credited with developing both Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick, two wildly different quarterbacks.
There aren’t many better candidates than Jim Harbaugh, but apparently, Atlanta won’t have trouble attracting the hottest candidates, Fowler added. “I’m expecting many of the hottest candidates to get a significant look here, but Atlanta will take its time.”
But who else? Well, Terry Fontenot’s connections from his time in New Orleans may spark potential interviews. “I’m thinking about Fontenot connections from when he was in New Orleans, and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn jumps to the front of my mind,” Graziano stated.
From the press conference, it seemed like Fontenot’s imput would be minimal, let alone bringing candidates to the table. I suppose I’m willing to wait and see, but I’m skeptical.
Another potential candidate that Graziano expects the Falcons to be interested in is Mike Vrabel, who was just fired by the Titans. “Obviously, I would think Vrabel would be of interest here as well.”
The Falcons do have a couple of familiar faces in the hiring pool, which Fowler assumes will not interest Blank and McKay. “Two of the strongest defensive coordinators — Dan Quinn (Cowboys) and Raheem Morris (Falcons) — used to coach there, which probably takes them out of the running.”
However, other high-profile defensive coordiantors will be in the mix, according to Fowler. “Ravens coordinator Mike Macdonald seems poised to get a head job after his impressive performance this season.”
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