Arthur Blank is bringing out his biggest harpoon this offseason in search of his Moby Dick as the Falcons owner is reportedly ‘big game hunting’ this hiring cycle.
The club has cast a wide net into the candidate pool with an array of potential options, from the next Kyle Shanahan to the greatest coach of all time. Ben Johnson and Bobby Slowik headline the offensive gurus, while Bill Belichick remains in Blank’s crosshairs as his primary target.
To me though, the former Patriots de facto GM and head coach is a wonky fit in Atlanta, but I understand Blank’s fascination with his experience and pedigree. But, do you know who also has similar experience and pedigree? Jim Harbaugh.
The former 49ers head coach and current Michigan head coach has found success at every stop along the way. He brought Stanford to double-digit wins, San Francisco to three straight NFC Championship games, including a Super Bowl, and then Michigan to a National Championship after back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoffs.
Harbaugh isn’t a one-to-one comparison, but nobody is with Bill Belichick, who has been in the NFL longer than most fans have even been alive. Though he’s quirky, Jim Harbaugh seems like the perfect fit for the Falcons.
He’s adapted offenses to his quarterback’s strengths — i.e., Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick. He’s won at every level and is seemingly set on winning a Super Bowl before it’s all said and done. Belichick is soon to be 72 years old while Harbaugh is more than a decade younger. One of these makes a lot more sense given the Falcons’ timeline.
Late Tuesday night, the team announced they’d officially interviewed Harbaugh, so there’s at least a little belief that Atlanta will consider options other than Belichick.
Arthur Blank and Rich McKay sat at a press conference following Arthur Smith’s termination, which put Terry Fontenot’s role in the Falcons organization in perspective, and said nothing that encouraged the fan base, despite the men’s unfounded belief that fans still had confidence in the Falcons.
It’s quite obvious the pecking order of the franchise, but a new bit of information makes it even more clear. McKay’s opinion might not be as heavily considered as it was in past Falcons coaching searches. According to Ian Rapoport, Jim Harbaugh’s interview with the Falcons was in person and one-on-one with Arthur Blank.
It seems the Falcons owner is taking a firm grasp of this search for a new head coach instead of delegating responsibilities. He’s 82 years old and is clearly desperate to win, but that’s generally not a great state to operate. Hopefully, it doesn’t cloud Blank’s judgment.
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Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire
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