The Atlanta Falcons appear to have their guy to take the team into a new era. The Falcons are the only team left to not hire a new head coach because per league rules they could not make their favored move just yet. The team interviewed every high-profiled candidate on the open market and believed that Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is the man for the job. With the Seahawks' season officially over following the Super Bowl loss, Quinn will be announced as the new head coach in Atlanta on Tuesday.
According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the Falcons and Quinn have agreed to a five-year contract and will make the move official on Tuesday. Schefter writes that Quinn is expected to fly to Atlanta on Monday and meet with owner Arthur Blank with a formal announcement to follow. This has been a move in the making for weeks now. Per NFL rules, the Falcons could not make an official announcement until the Seahawks were done playing for the year which meant waiting until the Super Bowl was over. Following the game, Quinn opted not to focus on the future, but instead his time with Seattle.
"In respect to this game, what a terrific game we were all a part of," Quinn said, via ESPN.com. "So for tonight I'd like to make the focus all about our players, both teams'. It was a great contest. You could see how hard guys played. As a coach, that's really what you're looking for, great effort first. ... You see the guys in the locker room, they gave everything they had. You can't ask for more than that as a coach."
Quinn's success with Atlanta is a mystery. Much of that hinges on the talent the team surrounds him with which makes free agency and the draft crucial this year along with getting rid of some of the dead weight currently sitting on the roster. First up will be a contract for wide receiver Julio Jones. Blank told the media that a long-term deal is expected for the former first-round pick as negotiations should start up following the hire of Quinn.
"Well, I think it's a decision that the head coach will look at the talent on the roster," Blank said. "Julio's been a great player for us and a great talent, and he represents us on the field and off the field as well as anybody else. As the owner, it's not my decision to make. The new coach will spend a great deal of time assessing the roster and all of our players, and obviously Julio is a critical one."
Other moves include getting a running back in to replace Steven Jackson. The Falcons need another young wide receiver considering outside of Jones, the rest of the rotation is 30-years-old or above. The team needs an upgraded tight end. They will also make crucial decisions regarding players like Sean Weatherspoon, Kroy Biermann and Robert McClain who all need new deals. Quinn has a lot of success on his resume, now Atlanta hopes he can bring it down south.