Report: Atlanta Falcons 'team to watch' if Bill Belichick moves on from New England Patriots

It’s beginning to seem as if a reality where Bill Belichick is no longer the coach of the New England Patriots could become true.

As the possibility grows, suitors are lining up. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Atlanta Falcons are one of those squads, keeping their attention on what the end result is just outside of Boston.

“Bill Belichick is still the head coach in New England but the Atlanta Falcons are a team to watch if Belichick is available,” Russini posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “They are interested, per sources.”

Alas, the Falcons have an opening after the firing of Arthur Smith after three seasons in Atlanta. Their offense never matched the capabilities Smith showed while he was the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, and the franchise decided to move on following Week 18.

If Belichick becomes available, the Falcons will be far from the only team interested in one of the winningest coaches in NFL history. The Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders have been championed as potential destinations, as well.

The question becomes whether or not New England would allow Belichick to leave on his own accord, or if a bevy of draft capitol would need to be given up for the Patriots leader.

Time will tell, but the NFL world knows the Falcons are interested. We’ll see if Bill Belichick returns to New England, or potentially ends up in Atlanta when the dust settles.

More on the Atlanta Falcons, firing of Arthur Smith

Moreover, the Falcons chose to part ways with head coach Arthur Smith after three seasons following Week 18. After the team’s 48-17 loss on Sunday, the Falcons fired Smith. The Falcons finished the year with a 7-10 record for the third consecutive season.

Atlanta started Smith’s third season off with wins against the Panthers and Packers, but dropped the next two against the Lions and Jaguars. The team found little consistency and flip-flopped between quarterbacks Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. After losing three consecutive games against the Titans, Vikings and Cardinals in the middle of the season, they ended the year with three wins and four losses.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank confirmed the team will retain general manager Terry Fontenot, who will provide input in the search for the next coach. The search will be led by Blank and team CEO Rich McKay. 

Blank also issued a statement shortly after the news broke, saying, “Decisions like this are never easy and they never feel good. We have profound respect for Coach Smith and appreciate all the hard work and dedication he has put into the Falcons over the last three years.

“He has been part of building a good culture in our football team, but the results on the field have not met our expectations. After significant thought and reflection, we have determined the best way forward for our team is new leadership in the head coaching position.”

The Falcons drafted former Texas star Bijan Robinson in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He ran for 948 yards with just four rushing touchdowns this season. He also added 51 catches, 384 receiving yards and three more touchdowns. He scored one of his touchdowns in Week 18, posting a seven catch game with 103 yards.