While speculation of former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick signing with the Atlanta Falcons has dwindled, one AFC executive sees it happening and more.
“[Belichick] can help a talented yet underachieving team, and Atlanta is that,” an AFC executive told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “[Kirk] Cousins would be a great fit there.”
Belichick had his second interview with the Falcons over the weekend, but Atlanta has also interviewed 12 other candidates. Cousins, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, could become a free agent in March while he recovers from an Achilles injury.
“The feeling out of New England was that Belichick planned to target an established veteran quarterback for the Patriots in 2024. If he gets the Atlanta job, as some expect, he can follow a similar blueprint,” Fowler wrote.
Belichick parted ways with the Patriots on January 11 after 24 seasons at the helm. Quality quarterback play eluded Belichick for his final four seasons in Foxborough after Tom Brady departed in 2020 for free agency.
Bill Belichick to the Falcons? 🤔
Cousins could give Belichick his best signal caller since 2019 if the two joined forces in Atlanta. Before the Achilles injury, Cousins completed 69.5% of his passes for 2,331 yards and 18 touchdowns versus five interceptions for a 103.8 quarterback rating in eight games played.
While Atlanta has been a losing team of late, the Falcons have loads of offensive talent with tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Drake London, and running back Bijan Robinson. That’s arguably equivalent to Cousins’ former trio in 2022 with Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, and T.J. Hockenson.
“Cousins very well might re-sign with Minnesota, but if not, the Falcons offer several high-end skill players on offense and an improving defense — they’re the proverbial quarterback away,” Fowler wrote.
If Belichick came to Atlanta with Cousins, breaking Don Shula’s all-time win record becomes all the more achievable and possibly more for the former Patriots coach.
Kirk Cousins Showed Interest in Playing for Bill Belichick
While offseason interviews don’t say everything about a player’s free agency wishes, Cousins was quite open about his respect for Belichick in an interview with CBS Sports’ Isabel Gonzalez.
“I’m not gonna turn down an opportunity to play with a future Hall of Fame coach,” Cousins told Gonzalez on January 18. “But we’ll have to see where March leads. It’s just a lot of unknowns right now.”
“I have great respect for him as a coach, like everyone else in pro football,” Cousins added. “I mean, if you go to that many Super Bowls, win that many Super Bowls, go to that many conference championship games, have the defensive production he’s had for years and years, it says it all.”
Cousins will cost any suitor quite a bit in free agency though. Spotrac projects him to earn $39.3 million annually or the equivalent of a three-year, $118.14 deal.
Devin McCourty ‘Shocked’ by Lack of Interest in Bill Belichick
Atlanta remains the only team to have publicly announced an interview with Belichick, and that surprises former Patriots star defensive back Devin McCourty.
“Definitely. I was kind of shocked that it’s only one team that’s interested. When you step back, teams are probably looking for younger coaches it feels like,” McCourty said on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Wednesday.
McCourty played for Belichick from 2010 to 2022.
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AFC Executive Predicts Bill Belichick to Pair With Star Quarterback