Falcons Interview Bill Belichick for Head Coaching Vacancy

The Atlanta Falcons announced Monday evening that they’d completed an interview with Bill Belichick for their head coaching vacancy.

Belichick reportedly met with Falcons owner Arthur Blank in person and although there’s not a deal imminent between the two sides, there’s mutual interest, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. 

Belichick, 71, spent the past 24 seasons as coach of the New England Patriots, where he won six Super Bowls and pioneered the team to 17 division titles. He parted ways with the Patriots last week following a 4–13 season and the Falcons quickly emerged as a possible next destination.

Atlanta announced that Belichick was the sixth coaching interview the team had conducted following the dismissal of Arthur Smith.

We have interviewed Bill Belichick for our head coach opening

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 16, 2024

Smith had been the Falcons’ coach for three seasons. The team finished with a 7–10 record in all three of those years. Atlanta lost four of its last five games in 2023, resulting in the end of Smith’s tenure with the team. He was the 19th coach in the franchise’s history, and Atlanta has now begun the search for No. 20. 

The Falcons have not been to the playoffs since the ’17 season, which was also the last time the team registered a winning record. Their last Super Bowl appearance came during the ‘16 season, when Belichick’s Patriots famously erased a 28–3 deficit to stun Atlanta. 

In addition to Belichick’s interview, the organization has also met with Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and assistant head coach Anthony Weaver, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, Carolina Panthers DC Ejiro Evero, and San Francisco 49ers DC Steve Wilks.