Bill Belichick’s impressive resume as New England Patriots head coach for 24 seasons isn’t enough to land him any available positions among NFL teams. The Atlanta Falcons are the only team that interviewed him among the squads looking for a head coach.
However, the Falcons hired Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as Arthur Smith’s successor. Morris's familiarity with the organization, having spent six seasons filling various coaching roles, could be a significant reason for his hiring.
But it’s noteworthy that the Falcons went with Morris even if they’ve interviewed Belichick twice. Falcons owner Arthur Blank would love to have the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach on board.
The Falcons interviewed 14 different head coaching candidates, including Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel and Jim Harbaugh.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 25, 2024
But Raheem Morris gets the job and returns to the NFC South, where he was once the head coach in Tampa Bay. https://t.co/26DabpFP6Z
Conversely, the Falcons front office, especially CEO Rich McKay, didn’t want the three-time NFL Coach of the Year to be there because they would have to yield much power to Belichick, especially in roster-building.
While the Falcons were the only team interested in Belichick, the other head coaching dominos have fallen. The Los Angeles Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh, while the Tennessee Titans went with Brian Callahan. Dave Canales will take over the Carolina Panthers.
Jerod Mayo takes over from Belichick in New England, while the Las Vegas Raiders promoted Antonio Pierce to full-fledged head coach. Those hirings mean that the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Commanders are the only teams left without a head coach.
Both teams have considered other candidates than Belichick. Reports show that Dan Quinn is the frontrunner for the Seahawks’ opening. The Commanders are still interviewing candidates, but Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is shaping up to be the frontrunner.
In that case, Bill Belichick might not coach during the 2024 NFL season. But given his football wisdom and achievements, the wait for his return won’t be long. After all, he has already been linked with the Dallas Cowboys as Mike McCarthy’s replacement. He’s also being associated with the Kansas City Chiefs when Andy Reid possibly retires after this season.
-Lance Fernandez