Various reports from NFL insiders seem to suggest that one NFC squad in need of a new head coach is the heavy favorite to be Bill Belichick’s next team after parting ways with the New England Patriots on Thursday.
This morning brought the end of an iconic era in NFL history when reports claimed that Bill Belichick and the Patriots agreed to mutually part ways. The legendary coach and owner Robert Kraft are set to have an afternoon press conference to explain what was a long-rumored but still surprising decision.
However, one of the most interesting bits of information that came out in reports on the news was the fact that New England will not be trading Belichick to another team. That is an unexpected development since all previous indications were that the organization was not interested in outright firing him, and they would surely have gotten some strong offers from organizations looking to add such an influential figure.
The revelation is big news for any of the seven NFL teams with head coach openings that might be interested in hiring Bill Belichick. While there have been rumblings in recent weeks over which franchises could be the 71-year-old’s next home, it seems that there is at least one heavy favorite to acquire his services.
Atlanta Falcons expected to heavily pursue Bill Belichick
Following the news that Belichick’s era in New England was over, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that the Atlanta Falcons were likely to be one of the organizations in the hunt for Belichick. In a follow-up post on X — formerly Twitter — he explained why Atlanta should be taken very seriously in the chase for the future Hall-of-Fame coach.
“Falcons owner Arthur Blank has taken some big swings at other high-profile head coaches in the past,” Schefter wrote. “Blank once pursued, but didn’t land, Joe Gibbs. He once pursued, but didn’t land, Bill Parcells. Now the Falcons have a head coach opening, and Belichick is a free agent.”
Related: Soon to be fired Bill Belichick plans on making life hell for New England Patriots
The Athletic’s NFL insider Dianna Russini added to the potential momentum when she reported Thursday morning that “The Atlanta Falcons have been interested in landing Bill Belichick for weeks, per sources.”ESPN league insider Dan Graziano also listed Atlanta as a team expected to be in the chase starting this week as well.
There are several very intriguing head coach openings — like the Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Commanders — that could appeal to Bill Belichick for different reasons. The iconic coach is expected to continue his career since he reportedly wants to break Don Shula’s all-time NFL wins record. He is just 15 away following the 2023 season.