Falcons setting up organizational structure for next era

According to Graziano, multiple sources have been saying for weeks that team owner Arthur Blank came into the hiring process wanting Belichick. Unfortunately for Blank, Falcons chief executive officer Rich McKay has a hand in the day-to-day operations of the team and has a say, as well. Apparently, that role concerned Belichick, who inquired about McKay’s impact should he be hired. Belichick seemed to want structural power, similar to what he had in New England.

In the eyes of the organization, Belichick “was seen as a short-term play.” He’s got plenty of rings and is only 15 wins away from passing legendary coach Don Shula for the all-time record of most wins by a head coach. In order to grant Belichick the powers he sought within the organization, extensive overhauling would be required in the leadership structure; overhauling that would then need to be done a second time upon Belichick’s departure in the near future. In the end, it just made more since to keep the broad structure in place and hire a coach with a greater aspiration for continuing to coach well into the future.

Additionally, though, the team made the call to ultimately move McKay away from the day-to-day operations of the team. According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, while McKay will remain CEO of Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE) and will continue “to represent the team on league matters and the NFL’s Competition Committee,” McKay will focus more on soccer, away from football operations. Instead, Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot will report directly to Blank.