NFL Rumors: Bill Belichick, Jim Harbaugh Eyed by Falcons' Arthur Blank for HC Job

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is reportedly looking to make a big splash in his next coaching hire.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported Blank could target Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh or New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick to replace Arthur Smith. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported the Falcons are a "team to watch" if the Patriots move on from Belichick as expected.

Of course, Harbaugh and Belichick remain under contract with their current teams.

Michigan is set to play in Monday night's national championship game against Washington and will be motivated to retain Harbaugh win or lose. Harbaugh is the first coach in more than 30 years to lead the Wolverines to three straight Big Ten championships, and the program would win its first outright national title since 1948 with a victory Monday night. (Michigan split the 1997 national championship with Nebraska.)

The Falcons fired Smith early Monday morning, just hours after concluding a third straight 7-10 season. Smith's tenure was plagued by questionable decision making and a strange deployment of the team's young offensive stars, most notably running back Bijan Robinson, tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London.

"Decisions like this are never easy and they never feel good," Blank said in a statement. "We have profound respect for Coach Smith and appreciate all the hard work and dedication he has put into the Falcons over the last three years. He has been part of building a good culture in our football team, but the results on the field have not met our expectations. After significant thought and reflection, we have determined the best way forward for our team is new leadership in the head coaching position."

Blank's statement named current general manager Terry Fontenot as part of the search committee, so he's expected to remain in his current position. However, the Falcons could still give Harbaugh or Belichick final say over football operations.

Belichick status in New England is up in the air after a dreadful 4-13 season. The Patriots have missed the playoffs in three of the four years since Tom Brady's 2020 departure, and Belichick's failures as a roster builder have been the main culprit. It's fair to wonder whether Blank should go all-in on a 71-year-old legend who may have lost his fastball.

Harbaugh is still very much in the prime of his coaching career and will be motivated to build a winner wherever he winds up—particularly given the way he was pushed out despite success in San Francisco during his first try at NFL coaching.