The Falcons turned a lot of heads when they made the decision to give Raheem Morris his first official head coaching gig in 13 years instead of hiring Bill Belichick, who many see as one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history. A report from Dan Graziano details a situation that saw a difference of opinion on how the team’s executive structure should be shaped. 
According to Graziano, multiple sources have been saying for weeks that team owner Arthur Blank came into the hiring process wanting Belichick. Unfortunately for Blank, Falcons chief executive officer Rich McKay has a hand in the day-to-day operations of the team and has a say, as well. Apparently, that role concerned Belichick, who inquired about McKay’s impact should he be hired. Belichick seemed to want structural power, similar to what he had in New England.
In the eyes of the organization, Belichick “was seen as a short-term play.” He’s got plenty of rings and is only 15 wins away from passing legendary coach Don Shula for the all-time record of most wins by a head coach. In order to grant Belichick the powers he sought within the organization, extensive overhauling would be required in the leadership structure; overhauling that would then need to be done a second time upon Belichick’s departure in the near future. In the end, it just made more sense to keep the broad structure in place and hire a coach with a greater aspiration for continuing to coach well into the future.
Additionally, though, the team made the call to ultimately move McKay away from the day-to-day operations of the team. According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, while McKay will remain CEO of Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE) and will continue “to represent the team on league matters and the NFL’s Competition Committee,” McKay will focus more on soccer, away from football operations. Instead, Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot will report directly to Blank.
It’s kind of hard to believe that Rich McKay has been with the Atlanta Falcons since Jim Mora was the coach, Michael Vick was the QB, Warrick Dunn was the RB, DeAnglo Hall was a rookie, and the Georgia Dome was still a marquee destination.
I find it really hard to believe that Blank is still allowing McKay to even have a say in anything…
McKay has proven himself over and over again to be a complete failure as a team’s decision maker, yet Blank somehow has full trust in him.
It sounds like BB already knows McKay’s awful track record, and he already knows how McKay cannot help but always meddling in the day to day operations and sticking his nose where it really doesn’t belong.
I’ve seen people saying they can’t believe the Falcons turned down Bill, but honestly, I think Bill turned down the Falcons.
I think Bill told Blank he wanted McKay gone, Blank told him McKay was his friend and he was staying, so Bill said peace. I honestly think it was just that simple.
I can’t say I blame Belicheck either. He knows like the vast majority of their other hires, he’d be the scapegoat for all their poor decisions, except he wouldn’t even be the one making the final decisions.
I hope for fans of this franchise I am wrong, but I think the Falcons will continue to live in mediocrity and never be able to find any level of sustainable success until either Blank is gone or McKay gets the boot. No new owner would EVER retain McKay, so if Blank leaves, McKay is as good as gone as well.
Truthfully, I don’t know if Blank will ever fire McKay, so he might have to retire as their acting owner or sell the team in order to get rid of their black cloud that is Rich McKay..
Morris will be fired after 3 seasons. So it’s short term regardless. Should of been patient and wanted for ben johnson or go after texans oc. Defensive minded coaches don’t have success in today’s nfl. Poor poor poor hire. F GRADE
DeMeco Ryans would like to have a word with you
Everyone of these coaches who got hired in this years coaching cycle will have less then 3 years if they can’t win. except for Harbaugh
Morris is an odd choice. Defense oriented, losing record as a head coach, not on anyone else’s radar, etc., etc. I am sure Morris will be a favorite with the players, but they won’t win anything with him at the helm.
I’m something of a dinosaur like Belichick because I also favor organizational structures that are simple, lean and hierarchal in nature. It always seems that the more bloated and bureaucratic an organization becomes, the less efficient it becomes. The NFL has always been a true disciple of the “More is Better” philosophy but has the on field product improved substantially over what fans witnessed in simpler times?
You make the mistake of assuming that improvement is what the league wants. Wins, championships, and awards will all still be given out, no matter bad or good the actual product is. The NFL has elongated the season, removed offseason activities (admittedly at the PA’s demand), and handicapped the defense to make up the difference in skill. The officiating makes up the difference in providing “excitement” in the long tun by increasing scoring and benefitting the quarterbacks, so the NFL can continue to sell the supposedly more exciting passing offense for more games, despite the decrease in quality of the overall product.
As far as the teams themselves go, the digital age has introduced many more specific data points that organizations will analyze to the smallest degree to get an edge. Any organization would do the same to get ahead. The sheer amount of money involved insures that. These roles get more specialized on the data side and more people are hired to handle them, or to help convert them to specific coaching techniques or schemes. On the business side, NFL teams are veritable corporations in and of themselves. They’re teams in name only…the bliat is a way of lufe.
As usual you have excellent insights. The question of sustainability has to be considered at some point though. Will the NFLs insatiable appetite eventually become so great that it eats itself?
I agree that Belichick gave his conditions to the Falcons and the Falcons were not prepared to meet them.
Belichick is well-known for sticking to his guns. Belichick never needs to coach again. If the opportunity is not right, retirement is fine.