ATLANTA (AP) — Falcons owner Arthur Blank says Bill Belichick will request additional authority in two meetings with Atlanta in the coaching search that led to the hiring of Raheem Morris. It is said that nothing happened.
Blank spoke for the first time about the search on Friday, saying Belichick had not asked for control of player personnel, as had been widely speculated. Blank also said Belichick was not offered the job.
Belichick, who won a record six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, worked with Blank and his search team before Morris, a former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator, was hired on Jan. 25. He was considered the frontrunner among the 14 candidates interviewed.
Belichick, 71, a Hall of Fame coach, was more than just a candidate. He has a total record of 333 wins and 178 losses, including playoffs, and if he takes another job, he could approach the record of 347 wins set by the late Don Shula.
Blank called Belichick’s record “incredible” and said he was “the greatest coach to ever coach this game” or “on a very short list.” . He said his interview with Belichick was “great.”
“It could have been very informative because you’re talking to a kind of living legend, someone who has great historical knowledge, great knowledge of the game, and great perspective from years of success. ” Blank said.
Belichick had player personnel control in New England. Giving a coach that kind of power would likely have thrown Atlanta’s front office into disarray.
Blank said Friday that was never an option.
“I want it to be 1,000 percent clear. I want to use any percentage, whether it’s 2,000 percent or 100,000 percent,” Blank said. “Bill Belichick never asked any questions about management of personnel or buildings or anything like that in any of our discussions.”
Blank said Belichick also “sent me a personal text message,” in which he said he was “pleased to work together” with general manager Terry Fontenot. That’s what it means. Blank said he shared a message with Fontenot.
The Falcons made changes to their front office without hiring Belichick. Rich McKay, CEO of Blank’s sports operations and former general manager of Atlanta and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, no longer has a say in football-related matters. Morris and Fontenot will now report directly to Blank rather than McKay, giving Blank greater authority over the Atlanta United MLS team, which Blank also owns.
Blank said he was impressed with the experience Morris, a former Atlanta assistant coach, had with the Rams. Blank said Morris “was the best choice for us” for “a variety of reasons.”
Belichick is not known to have interviewed with other teams after leaving the Patriots.
Morris replaced Arthur Smith, who was fired hours after his third consecutive 7-10 season. He was then hired as the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Morris held his first press conference as Falcons coach on Monday, seven years after the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead when he was an assistant in Atlanta and lost 34-28 to Belichick and the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Ta.
Morris was an assistant with the Falcons from 2015 to 2020 and was Atlanta’s interim head coach in 2020, posting a 4-7 record. Morris said Monday that he understands why Belichick is considered the frontrunner in Atlanta’s search.
“I have a lot of respect for what he’s accomplished in his career,” Morris said of Belichick. “I don’t think there’s any disrespect to what people think about Coach Belichick, right?”
Blank was not feeling well and did not attend Monday’s press conference.
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Charles Odum, Associated Press