The Atlanta Falcons are reportedly closing in on this defensive coordinator

At this point in the NFL calendar, there are always two things going on—the playoffs and the hectic coaching carousel. Many teams that didn’t make the playoffs in the first place have been looking for new coaches which is where the Atlanta Falcons are right now.

The Falcons’ division rival Carolina Panthers have been looking for a new head coach and have honed in on the former Colts head coach Frank Reich. That means their interim head coach will be looking for another team to coach and there is a strong possibility it could be the Falcons.

The Atlanta Falcons could be closing in on Steve Wilks to be their DC

Steve Wilks was promoted to interim head coach following the Panthers’ firing of Matt Rhule. He turned the team around and got them within a couple games of the playoffs, but yet again, that apparently isn’t enough for the team to hire Wilks as a permanent head coach. This may open a door for the Atlanta Falcons to swoop in.

According to Panthers beat writer Sheena Quick, the Falcons are highly interested.

And a fan-favorite player also seems to be on board with this hire.

Steve Wilks would be an excellent choice for Atlanta. He has a history of doing a bit of everything during his nearly 30 years of coaching. He has been all over the country as a college football coach, has been a defensive coordinator, an assistant head coach, a head coach, and an interim head coach.

Arthur Smith is clearly an offensive-minded coach, so bringing in someone like Steve Wilks who is a leader would be beneficial to the defense. Essentially he would be a second head coach.

Wilks has not had a fair shot as a head coach in the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals originally hired him in 2018 as their head coach and ended up firing him after just one season because they thought Kliff Kingsbury was the new Sean McVay. And now Frank Reich, who got fired a few months ago after a complete disaster in Indianapolis, was chosen over Wilks.