ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons talked with Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson on Thursday about their head coaching vacancy, but they were also planning for a second interview with former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
That would make him the first candidate to have a second interview with Atlanta as the Falcons look for a successor to Arthur Smith, who was fired on Jan. 7 after going 7-10 each of his three seasons leading the team.
Belichick spoke with the Falcons on Monday in his first known interview since leaving the Patriots. The Falcons have not disclosed the details about a second interview.
Belichick, 71, set the record for Super Bowl wins by an NFL coach with six titles in his 24 seasons with New England, and he also led the Patriots to 17 division championships. Including the playoffs, Belichick has 333 victories, second among NFL coaches to Pro Football Hall of Famer Don Shula’s 347.
The plans for a second meeting between the Falcons and Belichick indicates an agreement on his possible role in player personnel decisions if he accepts the job. Belichick had control of player personnel with New England.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank and CEO Rich McKay are leading the search for a coach. Blank said recently that general manager Terry Fontenot would continue to be in charge of personnel decisions, while the new coach and Fontenot would report to McKay.
Johnson, who joined Philadelphia’s staff in 2021, was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator for the 2023 season. He is the second offensive coordinator to interview with Atlanta, following Brian Callahan of the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Falcons interviewed University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh on Tuesday. He has led the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff the past three seasons and recently guided them to the program’s first national championship since the 1997 season, but the 60-year-old Harbaugh could leave his alma mater and return to the NFL, where he enjoyed success as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014.
The Falcons said Thursday the interview with Johnson was held virtually. The Eagles’ season ended with a 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFC wild-card playoff game earlier this week.
Until the divisional rounds of the playoffs is complete on Sunday, all interviews with employees of other NFL teams must be held virtually. In-person talks with such candidates may begin Monday.
Before joining the Eagles’ staff, Johnson worked as a college coach for 10 years, including from 2018-20 at Florida, the last season as offensive coordinator for the Gators.
Johnson is the eighth coach to be interviewed by the Falcons, but most of those candidates have a defensive background, including Belichick. Smith was offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans before being hired by Atlanta for his first head coaching job.
Other candidates to interview virtually with Atlanta are Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, San Francisco defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
Titans talk to Thomas Brown, Dan Quinn
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans announced Thursday they had finished a virtual interview with Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, making him the sixth person to talk to Tennessee about its head coaching vacancy.
Brown, 37, is the second Black coach to interview with the Titans, who fired Mike Vrabel on Jan. 9 after his sixth season in Nashville. Brown was hired by Carolina as offensive coordinator in February 2023. He also interviewed for a head coaching job with the Houston Texans, who hired DeMeco Ryans.
Brown started coaching running backs in the NFL in 2020 with the Los Angeles Rams, added the title of assistant head coach in 2021, then coached tight ends as assistant head coach in 2022. Brown began his coaching career in the college ranks, with stops at Georgia — the former Bulldogs running back was a strength and conditioning coach at his alma mater — the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Marshall, Wisconsin, Miami and South Carolina.
On Wednesday night, the Titans interviewed Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who was head coach of the Atlanta Falcons for five-plus seasons from 2015 to 2020. They also have interviewed Las Vegas Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.
Vrabel speaks with Chargers about opening
COSTA MESA, Calif. — Former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel was one of two candidates who interviewed Thursday with the Los Angeles Chargers as they seek a new leader.
The Chargers announced earlier in the day that former Stanford University coach David Shaw had interviewed, bringing the total number of candidates they’ve talked with to 11.
The Chargers are looking for a coach and general manager after Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco were fired on Dec. 15, a day after a 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
It is the first announced interview for Vrabel since he was fired by the Titans. Vrabel went 56-48 overall, reaching the AFC championship game during the 2019 season as part of three straight playoff berths.
Vrabel was the AP NFL coach of the year for the 2021 season, but he had losing records the past two seasons and dropped 18 of his last 24 games in Tennessee.
A change appeared imminent after Vrabel did not speak to reporters when the Titans cleaned out their lockers after the season. It was the first time in the franchise’s 27 seasons in Tennessee the head coach did not talk to reporters since the team moved from Houston. The Oilers played their first two seasons in the Volunteer State as the Tennessee Oilers before becoming the Titans in 1999, a season they capped with the franchise’s lone Super Bowl appearance.
Shaw did not coach last season and was an NFL Network analyst. He was also a frequent presence at practices for UCLA, where his son, Carter Shaw, was a freshman wide receiver for the Bruins. He had a 96-64 record in 11 seasons at Stanford and led the Cardinal to three Pac-12 titles.
Shaw was an NFL assistant for nine seasons, including 2001 as quarterback coach for the Oakland Raiders and 2002-05 with the Baltimore Ravens, coaching quarterbacks and wide receivers.
Besides the Chargers, Falcons, Raiders and Titans, the Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders currently have openings for a head coach.