Falcons’ search could accelerate after Rooney Rule compliance
FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons’ coaching search is two weeks old, but is expected to accelerate.
The Falcons have fulfilled the requirements of the Rooney Rule and are in compliance with league requirements, according to the team.
Teams seeking to fill an open head coach position must conduct an in-person interview with at least two external candidates who are persons of color and/or women for the position, according to league rules.
Head coach interviews conducted virtually do not satisfy Rooney Rule requirements.
While the Falcons have announced nine completed interviews, they did not state which ones were in-person or virtual.
The Falcons are set to meet with former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski on Saturday, according to a report by ESPN. He would be the first candidate to have a second interview for the position that became open when Raheem Morris was fired on Jan. 4.
Stefanski, 43, was the head coach of the Browns from 2020 to 2025. He led the Browns to the playoffs after the 2020 and 2023 seasons. He was named coach of the year twice, in 2020 and 2023.
Before taking over the Browns, Stefanski was with the Vikings for 14 seasons, where he worked with Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2018 and 2019.
He was the offensive coordinator with the Vikings in 2019 when Cousins was voted to the Pro Bowl for the second-time in his career.
Stefanski, a native of Philadelphia, played defensive back at Penn (2000-04) in the Ivy League.
He was the assistant director of football operations at Penn before getting hired by the Vikings’ coach at the time, Brad Childress.
He was the assistant to the head coach (2006-08), assistant quarterbacks coach (2009-13), tight ends coach (2014-15), running backs coach (2016), quarterbacks coach (2017-18), interim offensive coordinator (part of 2018) and offensive coordinator (2019).
During his time with the Browns, the team moved on from quarterback Baker Mayfield and traded him to the Panthers in July 2022.
The Browns then outbid the Falcons and Panthers for quarterback Deshaun Watson by guaranteeing a four-year, $230 million contract.
Watson’s time with the Browns was marred by injuries as Stefanski had Jacoby Brissett, Joe Flacco, Jameis Winston and Shedeur Sanders as the team’s leading passers over his final four seasons.
The Browns were 8-26 over the past two seasons. Stefanski finished with a 45-56 record (.446).
In addition to the Falcons, there are eight other openings: Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers and Titans. The Giants are continuing to work out a deal with John Harbaugh.
The Falcons have completed head coach interviews with:
- Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Jan. 10;
- Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Jan. 10;
- Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde, Jan. 11;
- Former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, Jan. 11;
- Former Ravens coach John Harbaugh, Jan. 12;
- Former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, Jan. 13;
- Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Jan. 15;
- Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Jan. 15;
- CBS analyst and former Raiders coach Antonio Pierce, Jan. 16.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
