Bill Belichick has been a hot name on the head coaching market since parting ways with the New England Patriots earlier this month and has been heavily connected to the Atlanta Falcons‘ vacancy. The legendary head coach looked to be the early front-runner for the gig but seems to have lost a bit of steam in recent days as Atlanta’s search has only continued to broaden.
Bill Belichick Has ‘Lost Momentum’ in Atlanta Falcons’ Coaching Search
The Falcons have interviewed more than a dozen candidates for their vacancy at head coach since firing Arthur Smith earlier this month.
Belichick is one of the biggest names to interview for the job and was the first candidate to interview twice for the gig, leading many to believe the rest of the process might be a formality before he was ultimately named to the role.
Recent developments are to the contrary, however, as The Athletic’s Josh Kendall reported Tuesday that Belichick “has lost momentum” in the past week. Kendall also reported multiple league sources have told The Athletic that assuming it’s “Belichick or bust” for Atlanta’s head coaching gig is inaccurate.
That reporting seems to have gained more credence Wednesday after NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported the Falcons are set to bring Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik in for a second interview on Thursday. Pelissero also reported that Slowik is “well-regarded in Atlanta” after a “strong first interview.”
Not to mention several other high-profile candidates who have interviewed for the role, including University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, though recent reporting indicates he and the Los Angeles Chargers are deep in negotiations.
A plethora of other offensive and defensive coordinators from across the league have also interviewed.
The search initially began with interviews of Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Ravens associate head coach Anthony Weaver, and Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.
Harbaugh and Slowik then entered the mix, as did Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, and then-Buffalo Bills interim offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
It’s unclear where all of those interviews ultimately leave Atlanta in the process of finding its next head man. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the search is said to be “wide open.”
Whichever candidate ultimately gets the gig will inherit plenty of talent at the offensive skill positions, including RB Bijan Robinson, TE Kyle Pitts, and WR Drake London. Questions do remain around the all-important QB position, however, after inconsistent play from Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke last season.
How well the Falcons answer those questions at both head coach and quarterback will be crucial to the franchise’s future.
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