Bill Belichick has interviewed for one head-coaching job this offseason.
That opening is now closed.
The Falcons are reportedly hiring Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to be their next head coach. Morris previously served as Atlanta’s interim head coach in 2020, before leaving at the end of that season for Los Angeles. He was one of 15 candidates to interview.
Belichick, 71, met twice with the Falcons. He first interviewed with owner Arthur Blank 1-on-1 on Monday, Jan. 15, then again with Blank and front-office officials last Friday. Reports indicated that Belichick’s candidacy had lost steam in recent days, when Atlanta opted to continue interviewing candidates instead of closing its search having satisfied the league’s Rooney Rule.
Belichick enjoyed complete control over the Patriots’ football operations during most of his 24-year run in New England. Personnel control may have been a sticking point for the Falcons, who continue to employ general manager Terry Fontenot and CEO Rich McKay. Fontenot and McKay were both present for Belichick’s second interview, and McKay, 64, been with the organization since 2004.
According to The Athletic, Belichick and the Falcons both entered the interview process looking for a specific fit. Blank reportedly had interest in Belichick for weeks leading up to the interview, but remains alone in that interest among owners.
Belichick has no known suitors left. Only the Seahawks and Commanders have head-coaching vacancies, and neither team has requested an interview with Belichick. Both teams also have general managers in place.
It’s unclear what Belichick will do for the 2024 season, if he doesn’t land a head-coaching job. He will turn 72 in April, and remains in pursuit of Don Shula’s all-time record for most coaching wins in NFL history. Belichick could re-enter the coaching carousel next year and perhaps alter his demands, assuming he expected full roster control in Atlanta.
His track record of poor drafts and spotty free-agent success dragged the Patriots’ win-loss record to 29-38 over his last four years as head coach.
Belichick’s last top-100 draft pick to sign a second contract in New England was Duron Harmon, a safety he drafted in 2013. The Patriots’ most expensive free-agent signings last offseason — wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and tight end Mike Gesicki — just endured the worst statistical seasons of their careers. Mac Jones, a first-round pick in 2021, also fell apart last season behind a porous offensive line, leading to six straight benchings for him and a 4-13 record for the Patriots, the franchise’s worst in the Belichick era.
Belichick, ex-Titans coach Mike Vrabel, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Ravens defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald are now the top head-coaching candidates left on the market.