The Atlanta Falcons hired their new head coach Raheem Morris on Thursday, surprising many considering the legendary Bill Belichick had completed two interviews with the team.
Despite mutual interest between the two parties, it seems that it may have come down to Belichick wanting full control over the organization -- something Falcons owner Arthur Blank wasn't comfortable with, according to The MMQB's Albert Breer.
"He can definitely get a job as an executive as an overseer, and he can definitely get a job as a coach, but no one is going to throw him the keys the way he had them in New England," Breer said of Belichick on Arbella Early Edition. "I hope that's not what he's expecting, and I think that's what it comes down to. ... Arthur Blank wanted to hire Bill Belichick the head coach -- and it wasn't the money, I think he was willing to pay him -- it was everything else that was going to have to happen."
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Belichick full team control for much of his 24-year tenure in New England -- from the coaches around him to the players on the field. Breer and our Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran seem to believe that no team is willing to give up that much control, especially considering Belichick's age and his recent questionable track record of player management through drafts and free agent signings.
"The further it went down the road with Bill Belichick, the more Atlanta got cold feet with Bill Belichick, and understanding all the things that they would have to do to satisfy him," Curran added. "I think that's kind of the reason you're looking at a lack of opportunities -- you have a guy that's 71, he's not going to be there for the long term, he has a very select few teams he would consider, and when he comes in with a recent record that isn't impressive, he's going to come in and want things his way with no one to answer to."
Breer then implied that team officials around Blank were well aware of Belichick's ways, and possibly out of fear for their job security, started talking against the hire of one of the winningest coaches of all time.
MORE PATRIOTS COVERAGE
"The amount of people around him that Bill's going to need here, and the amount of people that may be outgoing because of it, and I think people in that building knew, 'Hey, if Bill comes here, I probably won't be here much longer,' so those people probably wind up getting in Blank's ear," Breer added of the situation.
"I think Blank wanted to hire Bill the coach, but I think more than anything else was that Bill wanted things set up a certain way and Blank wasn't comfortable with that, especially for a guy who might only be around for a year or two."
While the Falcons seemed to be the frontrunner for Belichick's landing spot, head coaching vacancies are starting to fill up fast. While his resume will surely beat out any candidate, it seems that his desire for full control of a franchise is severely limiting his possibilities.
"Bill has a specific set of things he wants to accomplish, he doesn't want to have to answer to layers of authority," said Curran.
With the Falcons job now claimed by Morris, there are currently no known remaining teams interested in hiring Belichick for next season.