Arthur Blank wanted to hire Bill Belichick to be the Falcons next head coach but somehow ended up with Raheem Morris.
Even before the process began, reports suggested there was an NFC South team keen on hiring Belichick. Once Arthur Smith was fired, it was clear the Falcons were that team.
However, as the two sides continued to cultivate the relationship and feel each other out, the prospect of Belichick coaching the Falcons looked less appealing… for both sides.
For Atlanta, the soon-to-be 72-year-old wouldn’t necessarily be a long-term fix. Belichick’s reluctance to give up power was also a driving factor in turning Blank toward Raheem Morris. Moreover, his inability to put together a successful offense or develop a quarterback didn’t match with the Falcons current situation. For all intents and purposes, the timelines didn’t match up.
On the other side of things, the Falcons weren’t a perfect fit for Belichick either. Most of the issues stem from Rich McKay, his role within the organization, and his past relationship with Belichick. The Falcons also aren’t a coach away from competing, which is what the perfect scenario for Belichick would be.
For so many more reasons, Blank landed on Morris, and I’m not complaining. The Patriot Way is outdated, Belichick’s ability to connect to players has come and gone, and the Falcons brought in a new-aged head coach.
It’s the exact reason that Tom Brady Sr. pointed out as to why Bill Belichick won’t be a head coach in 2024. Tom Brady’s father told the Boston Globe that Belichick’s interpersonal skills, among other attributes, aren’t desirable in today’s day and age.
“Bill is tough,” said Brady Sr. “He runs a military system. It’s a different generation. Bill is a great, great, great coach. But his interpersonal skills are horrible. That’s the bottom line. How many times has he said — back in ’15 or ’16 — that he wanted to win without Tommy? When he went without Tommy, he didn’t know what he was losing. You’re losing more than just a quarterback. Ego sometimes gets in the way of things. I think it did with Bill. Now, he’s in a situation where he’s gotten crucified for the last few years by everybody and a lot of luster has come off his rose.”
Bill Belichick’s ego has been his downfall. Granted, his ego isn’t unfounded. He’s arguably the greatest coach of all time, but his desire to win without Tom Brady and reluctance to give up any sort of power brought him to where he’s at right now — unemployed. There’s no arguing that Belichick could still coordinate a top 10 defense, but does anyone actually think he’d take a job as a defensive coordinator?
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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