Bill Belichick interviews for Falcons head coach job

Belichick famously guided the Patriots back from a 28-3 deficit against the Falcons in Super Bowl 51

Bill Belichick interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons head coach job, the team announced Monday.

Belichick was the sixth coach who interviewed for the position. He spent the last 24 seasons with the New England Patriots, winning six Super Bowls with the team and establishing a fearsome dynasty along with Tom Brady for an unmatched era of football in the NFL.

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Bill Belichick celebrates a Super Bowl

Bill Belichick head coach of the New England Patriots during the trophy ceremony for Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas.  (Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)

Now, Belichick is a free agent and his first stop on his possible return to the sidelines is with Atlanta.

He will be competing for the job with Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and Ravens assistant head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver.

Atlanta fired Arthur Smith after the team’s season-finale loss to the New Orleans Saints. Smith led the Falcons to three consecutive 7-10 seasons, missing out on the postseason each year.

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Bill Belichick prepares

View of New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick before game vs Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium. (Simon Bruty /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

Belichick has missed out on the postseason as well in three of the last four seasons. With Brady leaving before the 2020 season, Belichick guided the Patriots to a playoff appearance behind Mac Jones in 2021. But the team regressed in 2022 and 2023.

New England was 4-13 in 2023.

Legendary former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski went as far as to predict Sunday that Belichick was A-Town bound.

Bill Belichick shakes hands with Robert Kraft

Head coach Bill Belichick (L) of the New England Patriots shakes hands with owner Robert Kraft (R) during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Belichick announced he is stepping down as head coach after 24 seasons with the team.  (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

"Don't expect Coach Belichick to be done from here on out. He's coming back with [a] vengeance. And I've been hearing on the streets that the Atlanta Falcons are coming in hot for Coach Belichick," Gronkowski said on "FOX NFL Sunday."

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Authored by Ryan Gaydos via FoxNews January 15th 2024