How did the greatest coach in NFL league history move from favorite to passed over in this hiring cycle.
Just a few weeks ago, the league’s notoriously erratic head coaching rotation seemed very predictable. The Falcons dismissed their previous head coach, Arthur Smith, following consecutive 7–10 seasons. With Belichick and team owner Arthur Blank having a one-on-one meeting on the latter’s boat, rumors soon spread that the Falcons were interested in the greatest coach in NFL history.
As a matter of fact, the Falcons (along with a larger group of people besides the team owner) finished their second interview with Belichick ahead of others who were attempting a first interview. I still find it hard to comprehend that so many Blank fingerprints could have been on it. a large, eye-catching name. a fresh look for the brand. Rather, credibility around the league. a pitch to supporters that the team will improve.
Everything seemed to make too much sense. It seems as though the fire is being choked out by the amount of smoke. That almost certain thing that was going to happen doesn’t. Only minutes separated Belichick from being named chief executive officer, head coach, president, general manager, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and director of marketing. The smoke cleared, more interviews began, and Raheem Morris was named the team’s head coach.
What then transpired? The Athletic’s Jeff Howe conducted a postmortem on Bill Belichick’s move from head coach of the Patriots to the bench.
According to Howe, the issue goes much beyond Belichick’s age. It was widely believed that Belichick might not have much time left before he retires. Okay, so Rich McKay shares some of the guilt.
The most unexpected aspect is that, according to Howe, Belichick was fired for the identical grounds that prevented him from being hired. Belichick apparently didn’t think he would change for the Falcons if he wouldn’t change for the Patriots.
Several league insiders reiterated three main reasons: Belichick’s mismanagement of the Patriots’ quarterback position in the past few years, his desire to keep complete control over football operations, and his increasing misgivings about the coach’s ability to connect with this generation of players.
The apparent strained connection between Belichick and McKay alludes to Part Two. If it had happened with either Belichick or McKay, rather than both, it seems likely.
Reporters have expressed similar worries over the whole offseason. Years and years of bad offenses and bad drafting led to a dismal finish in New England. It appeared to have a well-thought-out quarterback succession plan, just like Atlanta’s. Maybe Belichick isn’t the best choice to replace Matt Ryan because he can’t find a suitable replacement for Tom Brady.
Oh, and adding Matt Patricia makes league insiders doubt Belichick even more.
Put simply, everything was going down Belichick’s way and only Belichick’s way. That wasn’t going to work in the long run, as the Falcons and every other team with an opening felt.
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