The Atlanta Falcons are looking to move in a new direction, and part of that direction is clearly tapping into some of the aura the franchise used to have in the past.
We’re not talking about bringing back the “dirty bird” dance, but team owner Arthur Blank is thinking about tapping into the mind of former MVP quarterback Matt Ryan.
According to Marc Raimondi of ESPN, Ryan will be among a group of people interviewing for a new role in Atlanta, which is being coined the “president of football.”
This is not a general manager role, but it’s arguably even more important. The Falcons fired head coach Raheem Morris as well as GM Terry Fontenot this past weekend.
This new “president of football” will be hired first and then will be in charge of picking the new head coach and GM for the team.
Ryan would certainly be a fan-favorite pick as a former league MVP and a member of the Falcons Ring of Honor, but it’s worth noting that he doesn’t have any front-office experience in the league.
For what it’s worth, Blank may lean on Ryan’s “football IQ” if the former quarterback does get the job.
“His EQ and IQ when it comes to football is extraordinarily high,” Blank said. “I’ve known Matt personally since 2008, and his family, and he’s an outstanding individual, great community leader and kind of person we certainly would want to consider in that position.”
Matt Ryan and John Harbaugh could be a nice pairing for the Atlanta Falcons
One would think that the Falcons may consider a head coach with experience either way, but going after a long-tenured coach like John Harbaugh would be the best move if Ryan does eventually end up leading the Falcons into the future.
Harbaugh was recently fired by the Baltimore Ravens after 18 largely successful seasons, including winning Super Bowl XLVII. His message may have gotten a bit stale over the past few years in Baltimore, but he’s an experienced head coach, a trusted leader and he ultimately may end up as a Hall of Famer when all is said and done.
The Falcons could mash the “vibes” of Ryan with the experience of Harbaugh. From there, the general manager just has to go out and find the right players.
Blank did acknowledge that the Falcons would be interested in talking to Harbaugh, but he doesn’t know if the interest is mutual. He also acknowledged that the president of football would be over the general manager and head coach, with only himself as a direct report.
That could rub candidates the wrong way, especially if Harbaugh is one of those candidates, but Ryan, or whoever ends up as the president of football, won’t be meddling too much in the day-to-day.
“Obviously, you’ve still got to hire a great coach, a great general manager, and the president of football will not be doing their jobs for them at all, but will be holding them accountable and giving input with guidance, when necessary,” Blank said.
It could work. Now let’s see if Blank and the Falcons can put it together and pull it off.