Unlikely: NCAA Suspends 2 Falcons players.

The Atlanta Falcons are planning to conduct a second interview with Bill Belichick after he spoke with Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson about their head coaching position on Thursday. Belichick spoke with the Falcons for the first time since leaving the New England Patriots on Monday.

Belichick won a record six Super Bowls in 24 seasons with New England. The second planned meeting between the Falcons and Belichick suggests Belichick will be involved in player personnel decisions if he gets the job. Belichick takes over New England’s playing staff.

Blank said general manager Terry Fontenot will remain in charge of personnel decisions, while the new coach and Fontenot will report to McKay. Johnson was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator for the 2023 season. Johnson was the second offensive coordinator interviewed by Atlanta, behind Cincinnati’s Brian Callahan.

The Falcons announced Thursday that an interview with Johnson has been conducted. Before joining the Eagles, Johnson spent 10 years as a college coach, including three years at Florida State from 2018-20. Johnson is the eighth coach to interview with the Falcons.

With a record 31 playoff wins and 6 Super Bowl appearances, including 333 total wins and 3 Coach of the Year awards 29 times, Bill Belichick is the most successful player in NFL history and American sports’ great teacher. Last week, he was also a former coach and wanted to buy the New England Patriots. While the Pats are on track with new coach Jerrold Mayo, Belichick is looking to work with another team next season.

Although Belichick has scheduled a second, more in-depth meeting with the Falcons, Atlanta is still interviewing candidates for the first time. The team announced today that it has also spoken to Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson about the head coaching vacancy.

Former Patriots quarterback Belichick was deemed the top candidate for the job after meeting owner Arthur Blank in a car and having another conversation. With the Cowboys out of the running, things appear to be looking up for Belichick coaching the Falcons.

After last week’s in-person meeting — reportedly on Atlanta’s Arthur Blank’s $180 million yacht in the Virgin Islands — Belichick and the Falcons are planning a second game with the Falcons this week interviews.Sources: Former #Patriots coach Bill Belichick will have a second interview with the #Falcons brass this weekend after meeting with owner Arthur Blank 1-on-1 this past week. Things are ramping up with the greatest coach of all time… pic.twitter.com/UR8LnJcYSS

Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 18, 2024

While this is the first time Belichick and Blank are getting to know each other, the meeting will involve the Falcons’ front office and could involve additional information and discussion.

As the Patriots move forward with new coach Jerod Mayo, Belichick vs. the Falcons could pave the way for an incredible, historic 2025 game at Gillette Stadium. Belichick has been associated with the Cowboys for a long time, but after meeting with McCarthy the past two days, Jones decided to give the coach, who has 36 wins and two division championships in the last three years, another season.

The Falcons announced Monday that they have interviewed former New England coach Bill Belichick for the head coaching position, reportedly the first time Belichick has interviewed since the Patriots’ visit last week.

Belichick, 71, served as head coach for 29 seasons, including 24 in New England and five in Cleveland, compiling a 302-165 record and winning six Super Bowl titles with the Patriots. One of the Super Bowl wins went to the Falcons after New England came back from a 28-3 deficit in Super Bowl LI to win 34-28 in the regular season.

It was a moment that Falcons owner Arthur Blank and CEO Rich McKay mentioned in a public press conference last Monday after the team fired Arthur Smith after three years as Atlanta’s coach. Blank and McKay, who are leading the search to replace Smith, were asked if they would consider or value previous head coaching experience in their next hire, and neither McKay nor Blank declined.

“It’s about head coaching experience, but you have to have the right head coaching experience,”

McKay said. Belichick’s name was mentioned by Blank at the Atlanta news conference, along with Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Los Angeles’ Sean McVay and San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan. Not a potential candidate for this position (Belichick was still employed by New England at the time), but an example of continuity, a long-term vision, and seeing that vision through.

Few NFL players have done as much as New England’s Belichick. When Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced that Belichick was no longer coaching the team, Kraft seemed to indicate that Belichick wanted to continue coaching. Belichick ranks third all-time in regular season wins (302) behind George Halas (318) and Don Shula (328).

Belichick also leads the NFL in the playoffs with 31 points, eight more than Andy Reid. Belichick now has 333 career wins, 14 wins behind Shula’s 347. Since Blank took over the Falcons, he has never hired a coach with NFL head coaching experience.

Bill Belichick indicated he is ready to return to coaching less than a week after parting ways with the New England Patriots and talking to the Atlanta Falcons about their vacancy. The Falcons announced Monday night that they have interviewed Belichick, 71, who left the Patriots on Thursday after 24 seasons and a record six Super Bowl championships.

The fifth of those Super Bowls came nearly seven years ago against the Falcons, in a game in which Atlanta led 28-3 in the third quarter before Tom Brady led the Patriots to a 34-28 win. Atlanta did not release details of the interview with Belichick, which is believed to have taken place in person.

The Falcons previously conducted virtual interviews with five candidates, only one of whom has head coaching experience. Belichick controlled the personnel decisions in New England. At a new meeting on Jan. 8 to discuss Smith’s firing, Falcons owner Arthur Blank and general manager Rich McKay represented the team.

Blank said he and McKay will lead the coaching search with Fontenot’s help, and Blank made it clear that he expects the new coach and Fontenot to all report to McKay, just as Smith and Fontenot did. Belichick’s problems replacing Brady as New England’s quarterback were similar to Atlanta’s after Matt Ryan.

Interviews with staff from other clubs are due to take place in practice before the divisional finals on Sunday. There are no such restrictions on teams with candidates like Belichick who no longer work for other teams.