This didn't feel like a Bill Belichick-style slam dunk.
The Falcons' search for a coach included two interviews with six-time Super Bowl champion Belichick, and in the second interview, he was brought on board owner Arthur Blank's private jet before moving toward hiring Belichick. It seemed like there was.
That was almost a week ago and the list of candidates continues to grow along with the team. We currently have 15 candidates listed on our coaching tracker. After firing Arthur Smith after a 7-10 season.
Former Titans coach Mike Vrabel was added to the list when he met with the Falcons on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, when Jim Harbaugh canceled his second interview in Atlanta to accept the Chargers' head coaching job, a name also disappeared from the list of potential hires.
The other two candidates have previously taken head coaching jobs elsewhere, with Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan replacing Mike Vrabel with the Titans and Antonio Pierce serving as interim coach last season. After his success, he was named full-time head coach of the Raiders.
Complete list of 15 candidates: Belichick; Vrabel. Harbaugh; Callahan. Pierce; Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. Ravens assistant Anthony Weaver. Ravens defensive coordinator Mike McDonald. Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Former Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilkes.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported last week that the Falcons' investigation is “wide open,” but few developments have been reported since Belichick's second interview.
“I don't think that's a team that's ready to take Bill Belichick…” Schefter said of the Falcons' approach on “The Get Up” Thursday morning. “The Falcons have shown interest in a lot of people…If it's wide open after interviewing Bill Belichick twice, that certainly shows he's not the favorite for the job.” There's a real possibility that he won't win any of those jobs that remain. It's fascinating on many levels. ”
Belichick, 71, has not interviewed with other teams this offseason.
Other than the Falcons, the remaining open positions are the Panthers, Seahawks, and Commanders.
Schefter compared Belichick's free agency to that of Tom Brady and Lamar Jackson, although teams have shown relatively modest interest in the two generational quarterbacks in recent offseasons.
“Sometimes teams get in their way and don't make rational decisions. We have the greatest coach of all time here and he's sitting there apathetic and it's just mind-boggling. ,” Schefter said. “Teams are probably worried about his age, the lack of success in New England recently, what he wants to do with that organization. But to me he's still Bill Belichick and you know he's If you add that to a team, that team starts racing in the right direction. But that's not how teams this cycle are looking at it.”
