NFL Rumors: Patriots legend reveals 1 team “coming in hot” for Bill Belichick

Going from the New England Patriots to the NFC South is in vogue right now it seems.

Just a few years after Tom Brady left the Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Bill Belichick is now being linked to the Atlanta Falcons. And it's another Patriot who traveled south doing it.

Former Patriots and Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski was on FOX's NFL playoff pregame show on Sunday and dropped the hot rumor.

Rob Gronkowski: Falcons "coming in hot" for Bill Belichick

"Don't expect Coach Belichick to be done from here on out. He's coming back with a vengeance," Gronkowski said. "And I've been hearing on the streets the Atlanta Falcons are coming in hot for Coach Belichick."

The Falcons fired head coach Arthur Smith after three disappointing seasons. Now they're on the hunt for a new coach to lead the franchise.

Belichick and Atlanta are believed to have "mutual interest," according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. But the Chargers are also seen as a potential destination for the future Hall of Famer.

A move to the NFC South, as opposed to the AFC West, would make a lot of sense for a coach with a clock ticking on his career. The NFC South feels wide open every year. The Bucs have won the division three years in a row but they haven't exactly run away with it. The Saints have a head coach on the hot seat. The Panthers had the worst record in the league.

The Falcons have the pieces in place to be more competitive than their 7-10 records under Smith. Belichick could be the guy to whip that defense into shape while the right offensive coordinator hire could unlock Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts and company.

Nothing is agreed at this point, but there's been a steady stream of chatter linking Belichick to the Falcons.