NFL Rumors: Bill Belichick Passed on by Falcons due to Structural Hurdles in Hire

The Atlanta Falcons surprised the football world on Thursday when they hired Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to be their next head coach over Bill Belichick.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, while team owner Arthur Blank was believed to have a desire to hire Belichick, there were "hurdles" regarding the structure of the organization that "couldn't be cleared" and prevented that from happening.

"The organizational structure in Atlanta involves Blank and CEO Rich McKay, and a lot of the discussions with Belichick centered on the idea of what McKay's role would be if Belichick came to coach the team -- and how much power and control the various parties would have in the end," Graziano stated.

After mutually agreeing to part ways with the New England Patriots after 24 seasons and six Super Bowl titles, Belichick was expected to be the most coveted coach on the market this offseason. However, the only team he interviewed with was the Falcons.

Graziano noted that hiring Belichick, who is 71 years old and nearing the end of his career, "was seen as a short-term play, so there were some in the Falcons' building who were concerned about overhauling things extensively only to potentially have to do so again in a few years."

The Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders are the only remaining teams with head coach openings, but there's no indication that Belichick is a candidate for either job.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported after Morris' hiring on Thursday that Belichick has "no known scheduled interviews" and added there's a chance he may sit out the 2024 season and wait for an opportunity next offseason.