For much of their head-coaching search, the Falcons seemed destined to hire Bill Belichick, who was reportedly Arthur Blank’s top target. But the club shook the NFL world when they announced the hiring of Raheem Morris on Thursday.
Even before Arthur Smith was fired, the Falcons were connected to Belichick. Josina Anderson reported that an NFC South team was intrigued with the idea of him, and throughout the offseason, no other team, let alone one in the division, showed interest in Belichick.
Anderson later went on to say she expected the Falcons to hire him, which was around the same time that Jonathan Jones reported Blank was desperate to do the same. All signs pointed to Belichick coming to Atlanta.
Then, the tide began to turn. Rumors of an internal dispute with Blank’s desire to hire Belichick were followed by Adam Schefter going on "Get Up" to say Belichick shouldn’t be considered the favorite. It culminated with Raheem Morris being named the 19th head coach of the Falcons.
We finally have actual answers to why Blank turned his focus away from Belichick. According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, the architect of The Patriot Way and six Super Bowls in New England wanted the same powers he enjoyed with the Patriots.
“The crossroads, according to a source familiar with the Falcons and Blank, was the element of realignment that would’ve needed to take place inside the Falcons to maximize a Belichick hire," wrote Robinson. "While Blank and Belichick apparently never discussed a detailed plan of how a linear chain of command under the head coach would work, the source said meetings with Blank crystalized Belichick’s continued belief that the full scope of football operations, personnel and coaching should be under his decision-making umbrella.”
This doesn’t exactly align with Belichick’s comments earlier in the month that he’d be open to relinquishing personnel control while he was still with the Patriots, but I wouldn’t put it past him.
The man is 71 years old, seems stubborn and apparently felt that he had the upper hand over Blank and the Falcons. However, he’d be a fool to think he deserved decision-making power over personnel. The Patriots haven’t signed a player they drafted in the first three rounds to a second contract since Duron Harmon, who was selected in the 2013 draft. That doesn’t even seem possible.
Belichick’s recent track in free agency and the draft is appalling. How could he expect autonomy in Atlanta?
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