Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
The Atlanta Falcons have undergone a full offseason of changes since they last played an official NFL game. Atlanta has a new head coach and a new quarterback, but there was reportedly a situation where the Falcons nearly hired Josh McDaniels to play a key role in their future.
Yes, the Falcons ultimately hired Raheem Morris as their new head coach to replace Arthur Smith, but Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently revealed Atlanta was considering McDaniels for a split front office/coaching role in 2024.
“Interestingly enough, former Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels was being considered for a hybrid front office-coaching role had Belichick landed with the Atlanta Falcons, and much of Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio’s background, before he led New England’s personnel department, was in coaching. Both Belichick and McDaniels have close relationships with Stevens, so it’s fair to guess that these sorts of moves, from coaching to personnel, have been discussion points between that particular group of guys.”
SI’s Albert Breer on Atlanta Falcons/Josh McDaniels
Understandably, the Falcons only seemed to be flirting with the idea of hiring McDaniels only if Bill Belichick was hired first. While it appeared that the future Hall of Fame coach would land in Atlanta, the Falcons ultimately determined Coach Morris was the better long-term fit. The rest, as they say, is history.
McDaniels has not landed another NFL job since the Las Vegas Raiders fired him from head coaching duties in October of 2023. But as Breer reports, it sounds like McDaniels would be interested in returning to the pros, but for whatever reason, he hasn’t been able to find the right role.
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