Two days after interviewing interim coach Raheem Morris for his full-time job, the Atlanta Falcons lined up two more candidates for the job. Now that the 2020 season is complete, they should speak to San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Niners coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Sunday; as well as Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, by Ian Rapoport from NFL Network. Both coaches are expected to interview Falcons on Monday.
Bieniemy and Saleh are among the most popular speculated head coach candidates from the off-season of 2021, with each coordinator reportedly attracting interest for vacancies in recent years. The first will have the next week off, while the No. 1 bosses bid farewell in the first round, while Saleh’s off-season has officially started with the 49ers losing the playoffs.
As Chiefs ‘offensive coordinator since 2018, not to mention an offensive career assistant and former NFL running back, Bieniemy would bring an entirely new perspective to the Falcons’ head coaching job, since Atlanta hasn’t had an offensive-minded coach since Bobby Petrino’s short tenure in 2007. Arguably Bieniemy’s greatest asset is an eight-year resume under Andy Reid, the league’s top Super Bowl winning coach.
Saleh, on the other hand, has gained fame as one of the NFL’s main defensive minds, coordinating the Niners’ unity for the past four years. A 2011-2013 Seattle Seahawks assistant, his recent San Francisco saves have consistently been among the league’s most feared, with his 2019 unit helping guide the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance.
Falcons are unlikely to limit their search for coaching to these two, however. Jason La Canfora, a member of the CBS Sports NFL, reported on Sunday that Atlanta is “super-intrigued” by Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, and there is “growing buzz” about the possibility of Falcons chasing him for his spot.