Top three most likely coaching hires as the search winds down for the Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are beginning to zero in on their final coaching candidates and it won’t be long before we see the franchise make a decision- for better or for worse- on who they’ll hire as both the next head coach and the next general manager.
The Falcons are reportedly favoring Terry Fontenot as their next GM and all signs- at least currently- point to a deal being finished shortly after the Saints’ season comes to a close.
But how is the head coaching search going? Here’s a look a the three most likely candidates to be the next head coach for the Atlanta Falcons.
3. Eric Bieniemy
Eric Bieniemy was believed to be the top priority heading into this offseason, and for good reason.
The Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator has had massive success orchestrating the most explosive unit in the league over the last few years and basically every single franchise with head coach opening has contacted him to request an interview.
While Falcons fans would love to have Bieniemy, there is nothing to indicate at this point that he ends up in Atlanta. The Falcons are still interested in him and there’s still a shot that a deal could be worked out, but it seems that there are two much more likely candidates at this point as we continue to progress forward with the coaching search.
2. Arthur Smith
Arthur Smith conducted a second virtual interview with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this week and many analysts have come to believe that he is the favorite to win the position.
Smith, the current Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator, isn’t just being courted by the Falcons, though.
He has conducted second interviews with the Jets and Lions, and he has had at least one interview with every single franchise who has a head coach opening.
It’s not clear who has the upper hand at the moment and the Falcons are seemingly in it, but the amount of competition certainly makes this one a little more difficult.
1. Joe Brady
Do you want to know who seems to be the most likely candidate at this point? It’s Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
Brady has interviewed for nearly every head coach opening, as well, but there just seems to be something that ‘sticks’ about him and the Falcons.
The Falcons were among the first to reach out to Brady and he’s been around Atlanta for quite some time now. Brady worked under Sean Payton and then he stayed in the same region when he went to coach at LSU as an assistant for a year. Last season, he helped improve the Panthers’ offense and has been regarded as one of the better play-callers in the game.
The more we learn about Brady, the more it seems like he wants to stay in this region.
If he does- and with the Jaguars filling their opening- it would seem like the Atlanta Falcons would be the perfect fit and the potential pairing of Brady and Fontenot should absolutely create some excitement surrounding this franchise moving forward.