Falcons' biggest hold-up in getting Bill Belichick to Atlanta is so painfully obvious

While I don't know if Bill Belichick is the right man to lead my flightless Atlanta Falcons, I know Rich McKay isn't the answer to anything. He may have been good at his job when I was in high school, but a lot has changed in the world since 2008. Still, owner Arthur Blank's righthand man in everything has been the one bad constant to this underperforming NFC South franchise. He needs to go yesterday...

McKay helped the Falcons get a state-of-the-art stadium built right next to the Georgia Dome, but when they open up the billion-dollar sphincter to God himself, He can smell the bad football festering from inside Uncle Arthur's spaceship. Blank is a good man and a committed owner, but he cannot hire a head coach for the life of him. All the while McKay has been by his side every single step of the way.

In Mike Florio's article for Pro Football Talk, he talked about the notion of if Belichick could co-exist with McKay. To be frank, why should he have to? I barely remember what fancy title of a role McKay has these days. All I know is he was the one sitting next to Blank to discuss Arthur Smith's termination and not general manager Terry Fontenot. Belichick may come to Atlanta, but not with McKay there.

One way or another, the Falcons will not be a serious football franchise with McKay in the building.

Atlanta Falcons have a Rich McKay problem, but Arthur Blank is in denial

Look. No matter how many head-coaching candidates Blank, Fontenot and McKay may interview to replace Smith, it is not going to matter. The same principle applies if they were to use an outside hiring firm, like a Korn Ferry or something, to help them further conduct the search. McKay is going to get in the way of Fontenot and whoever they hire from Blank himself. Maybe Blank wants it that way?

Perhaps I cannot see the forest through the trees? I long thought that the Falcons were only a good head coach and a quarterback away from getting back into contention. To be honest, didn't the Falcons sort of have that six to seven years ago with Dan Quinn and Matt Ryan? Quinn will be a head coach in a few weeks, and Ryan will eventually get the support he deserves of being a Hall of Famer.

God, I wish I was a fly on the wall in that room in Flowery Branch. Atlanta could have a real shot at the head coach who has caused this fanbase so much heartache and pain. All it may take is for one ancient front office executive to be given a golden parachute into retirement. Blank siding with McKay for the umpteenth time instead of doing what is right for the franchise should not be tolerated by us.

Atlanta may need a new head coach and starting quarterback, but McKay's removal feels necessary.

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