The Falcons were quick to axe head coach Arthur Smith following another embarrassing loss this past Sunday, falling by 31 points to the Saints. To this point, general manager Terry Fontenot still has a job, but are we sure that will be the case for long?
Arthur Blank and Rich McKay essentially snipped Fontenot’s nuts in front of the entire Falcons fan base on Monday at their press conference following their decision to fire Arthur Smith. Fontenot wasn’t involved in the hiring of Smith, he won’t be deciding who will be the next head coach, and he wasn’t even present at the end of season press conference.
That’s not a general manager. Terry Fontenot may have that title, but he doesn’t have the same power as the other GMs around the league. The major decisions appear to lie at the feet of Arthur Blank’s right hand man Rich McKay, and perhaps that’s really all there is to know. Fontenot handles the pro personnel side of things, while Blank and McKay work together when it comes to decisions regarding the head coach and other hires.
However, what if Fontenot’s absence at the press conference was the sign of something more? There have been several reports suggesting the Falcons are fond of Bill Belichick and will pursue him if the Patriots decide to move on. If that’s the case, Michael Lombardi feels like Fontenot may not be around for much longer.
“Rich McKay and Arthur Blank will lead the search,” said Lombardi. “They’ll take input from Terry Fontenot. That tells me Fontenot’s gone. That tells me they’re going to clean house. That tells me they’re big-game hunting. And if something happens up in New England, I think they’re going to be big-game hunting on him (Bill Belichick). And they should. If I’m Arthur Blank, and I have a chance to go get the greatest coach of all time, I’m coming.”
We could argue all day about whether or not Bill Belichick is the right course of action for the Falcons. I tend to lean no, but what I think is irrelevant. According to several NFL insiders, the Falcons have interest in pursuing Bill Belichick, and as we’ve seen in the past with Arthur Blank, he has no problem jumping over obstacles to get what he wants, even if it is not best for the organization.
This is a situation to monitor closely. Terry Fontenot has done a lot of good things as the Falcons general manager, particularly on the pro personnel side of things. But if the Falcons are hellbent on going after Bill Belichick, a lot more changes are on the horizon.
The @AtlantaFalcons won't have GM Terry Fontenot lead the HC search. That tells me Fontenot's gone and Arthur Blank is big-game hunting. If something happens in New England, he's coming – and he's coming heavy.
Check out #GMShuffle on @DKNetwork at https://t.co/b4sYN4CC91 pic.twitter.com/6HPQaihFhA
— Michael Lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) January 9, 2024
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Photographer: Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire
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