Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick appears to have zeroed in on where his next chapter will begin, seemingly nearing a contract with the Atlanta Falcons.
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Belichick is set to interview with the Atlanta Falcons for a second time, just over a week after parting company with the franchise that he led to six Super Bowl championships. Since Belichick's Foxboro departure, the Falcons are the only team he has interviewed with.
According to CBS Sports' Josina Anderson, the expectation is that Belichick and the Falcons will ultimately strike a deal.
Barring a snag in negotiations or a future development (still have to get a signature), I’m expecting Bill Belichick to become the next head coach of the NFC South* Atlanta Falcons. His previous rapport with #Falcons CEO Rich McKay creates comfort he can’t mimic in any other… https://t.co/lnVHs88mHK
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 18, 2024
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In Atlanta, Belichick would face some uncertainty at quarterback, but would have an electrifying set of offensive weapons to build around in the likes of running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London, and tight end Kyle Pitts as an exciting young core.
Meanwhile, defensively, the Falcons were led in 2023 by All-Pro safety Jessie Bates, who intercepted six passes while posing 132 total tackles, finished the regular season ranked No. 18 in total defense.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Belichick has a specific profile for the type of team he'd like to coach next.
"I was told from the beginning that Belichick would likely target talented, yet underachieving teams," Fowler reported. "Atlanta probably falls in that category."
Given Belichick's pedigree of one of the brightest defensive minds in the sport, the 71-year-old might be exactly what Atlanta needs to take the next step both in terms of defensive dominance as well as competing in the wide open NFC South.
In addition to Belichick's interviews, the Falcons have also interviewed Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh for the vacancy, after moving on from former head coach Arthur Smith on Black Monday, earlier this month.
