Should Falcons Hire Ex Patriots Coach Bill Belichick? The Case For & Against as Traction Grows

The Atlanta Falcons will interview former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for their coaching vacancy this weekend, marking the second such meeting - but does it make sense?

As the Atlanta Falcons' head coaching search marches forward, the odds of Bill Belichick being the next to grace the sidelines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium continue to rise.

Belichick, who parted ways with the New England Patriots on Jan. 11 after 24 years together, is poised for a second interview this weekend with Falcons management, per NFL Network.

The Falcons announced Monday they'd formally interviewed Belichick, with owner Arthur Blank conducting an in-person one-on-one interview.

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Atlanta's interviewed seven candidates for its vacant head coach role, which emerged after firing Arthur Smith on Jan. 7, but Belichick is the lone such option to receive a second interview thus far - and has been surrounded by more buzz than any other candidate.

Perhaps it's because of his status as a six-time Super Bowl winner and one of the game's greatest coaches - or maybe Atlanta's just that interested.

Regardless, the Falcons are turning every stone, and there's real belief Blank is fixated on Belichick.

But should he be?

Nov 10, 2023; Frankfurt, Germany; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media before an NFL International Series practice at the Deutcher Fussball-Bund facility / Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta fired Smith after he went 21-30 in his three seasons at the helm. Belichick, who was also New England's general manager, finished his tenure with a 22-29 record over his final three campaigns.

Smith failed to find a solution at quarterback after trading Matt Ryan in Mar. 2022, starting three different players - Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke - under center.

Similarly, Belichick battled quarterback play for the past four years after Tom Brady's departure. Mac Jones showed promise early, making the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2021, but evidently regressed en route to his benching this past season.

The Patriots' offense was tied for the worst in the NFL, scoring a mere 13.9 points per game. Belichick's struggled nailing down the offensive coordinator position, going as far as turning former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia into the offensive play-caller in 2022.

There's also the age factor - there have been only six coaches in NFL history, regardless of title, to coach past 70 years old. Belichick turns 72 in April.

This era of NFL football has been predicated on young offensive minds, and the Falcons have followed a similar philosophy in team building, spending three consecutive top-10 picks on offensive weapons.

Does Belichick fit that?

Hardly ... but maybe he doesn't need to.

After all, Atlanta tried that avenue with Smith and now finds itself back in the market for a new coach.

What Belichick lacks in youthful energy and offensive expertise, he makes up for in experience and consummate success. There's an aura around Belichick's name that commands respect.

The Falcons haven't made the playoffs in six years. Belichick made nine total Super Bowl's in a 19-year span with the Patriots.

Can he win without Brady? A 29-36 record over the past for years implies the answer is no ... but how much of that is due to the lack of talent available because of his executive decisions?

Belichick, the executive, is a different person than Belichick, the head coach. Blank previously confirmed Terry Fontenot will remain as Atlanta's general manager, while CEO Rich McKay said the team aspires to have a 50-50 balance of power between head coach and general manager.

Is Belichick willing to give up total control? What about his relationship with McKay - the two have previously been at odds on the NFL's competition committee together, but Atlanta's head coach and general manager report to McKay ... how will Belichick handle that?

By all accounts, Belichick to Atlanta is a strange fit.

The Falcons are driven by young talent. They need help offensively. They'd be making the oldest head-coaching hire in league history by adding someone recently fired due to offensive ineptitude.

Why would things change in Atlanta?

Perhaps Belichick could bring along fired Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, his former offensive coordinator in New England. But McDaniels, like Belichick, has struggled without Brady - hence McDaniels' departure from Las Vegas amidst quarterback woes.

Hiring an offensive-minded head coach isn't a requisite to finding a quarterback and fielding a potent offense. Just look at the Houston Texans, who hired a defensive coordinator in DeMeco Ryans last offseason, drafted CJ Stroud at No. 2 overall and are now playing in the AFC Divisional round Saturday.

The Falcons boasted a top-10 defense for much of this past season before faltering down the stretch. There are several core defenders under contract for multiple years, including safety Jessie Bates III, linebacker Kaden Elliss and defensive tackles Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata.

Offensively, each of Atlanta's five starting offensive linemen are under contract for 2024. The aforementioned trio of first-round weapons - tight end Kyle Pitts, receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson - are all back in the fold.

The Falcons allowed game-winning scores inside the final minute in four of their 10 losses this past season. There were chances to finish games and change narratives - but they ultimately fell by the wayside.

Blank, at 81 years old, is ready to flip the script. Doing so starts with the head coaching hire.

Belichick, on paper, doesn't check many of the boxes one would think Atlanta needs - but his track record hammers the biggest one: winning.

Except.

New England went 4-13 this past season, its second consecutive losing campaign. Hiring this version of Belichick wouldn't invoke the same feelings it once would've, but it's not difficult to see why Blank's intrigued.

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Blank, McKay and Fontenot will meet with Belichick this weekend. The Falcons still have to meet in person with at least one minority candidate to satisfy the NFL's "Rooney rule."

There's still lots to figure out - but as the process unfolds, the idea of Belichick joining the Falcons has only grown more prominent ... even with a number of glaring question marks to boot.