The NFL's coaching carousel seems to be upon us. The Atlanta Falcons wasted no time relieving Arthur Smith of head coaching duties in the aftermath of their season-ending loss to the New Orleans Saints, and now, the Falcons may be setting their sights in longtime New England Patriots head coach and general manager Bill Belichick to fill their newly-open coaching gig.

According to Diana Russini of The Athletic, the Falcons are interested in prying Belichick's services from the Patriots and that they are a “team to watch” as one of the 71-year old head coach's strongest suitors if New England does, indeed, make him available.

Bill Belichick doesn't seem like the type of guy to force a move elsewhere; as he said in his postgame presser following the Patriots' season-ending 17-3 loss to the New York Jets, he remains under contract, and that it's too much for him to discuss the hypothetical scenario of him coaching another team.

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This could mean one thing; Belichick knows that there is considerable noise surrounding his job security as the Patriots' head coach and GM, he may be feeling that the writing is on the wall when it comes to Robert Kraft's decision to head in another direction after seeing the team fail to improve after making the playoffs in 2021, and that a potential departure may only come via trade due to his contract situation.

As one would recall, Bill Belichick arrived as the Patriots' head coach back in 2000 via trade, with New England giving up a first-round pick to the Jets to allow the then-47-year old defensive coordinator to get out of his contract. The Falcons could end up repeating history if the Patriots come to the conclusion in the coming weeks during exit meetings that it's time for a seismic change.

Belichick's tenure as Patriots head coach remains an out-and-out success, and perhaps the Falcons are thinking that a change of scenery could do the veteran playcaller new lease in life for his career. It's not going to be easy for New England to part ways with someone who has coached the franchise to six Super Bowl rings, but nothing good lasts forever.