ESPN’s Damien Woody just covered the Atlanta Falcons’ hunt for a head coach, and he chastises Falcons owner Arthur Blank.
ESPN published a roughly 5,000-word piece earlier this week explaining why former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was not hired as a head coach in January.
Belichick believed he had the job with the Atlanta Falcons at one time, but it was clear that Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who is good friends with Falcons owner Arthur Blank, was trying to undermine him.
According to the story, Kraft informed Blank that Belichick “couldn’t be trusted” and that their differences would conflict with Blank’s wish for a family-like environment.
“The sources said Kraft made clear to Blank that ‘you’ll never have a warm conversation with’ Belichick, echoing what Bill Parcells told Kraft in 1996 when he wanted to bust the budget and hire Belichick,” according to ESPN. According to a Falcons insider, “Blank prefers coaches who make them feel like family, and that wasn’t going to be the case with Bill.”
From 2000 to 2003, ESPN radio host Damien Woody was a player for Belichick. He criticized Blank for what he saw as an inadequate procedure that led him away from the six-time Super Bowl champion.
On ESPN’s UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio, Woody remarked, “Can we stop right there?” “A ‘family environment?’ What the devil is that? I assumed it had to do with winning. It’s all about the victory. It’s all about taking home the hardware. Winning brings everything.
I’m so tired of hearing this ‘we want to collaborate.’ What on earth is the meaning of that? Our goal is to take home titles. We are discussing a football genius, a football savant. who Bill isn’t even in your top three? I mean, there’s this group of folks in Atlanta who are presumably Arthur Blank’s confidants who help him make decisions.
“I’m not even sure I can believe you.”
“The best NFL coach ever isn’t even in your top three? You’re talking about him? all because “our goal is to work together.”
The report states that Blank’s panel unanimously selected Raheem Morris.
Even if Woody is focusing only on the Falcons and a certain part of the hiring process, critics of Blank will concede that he makes a valid point. Blank is a great leader because of his commitment to the point of fault, but occasionally this trait causes him to place too much faith in his lieutenants, such as Rich McKay and previous general manager Thomas Dimitroff.
Nevertheless, Woody’s tirade smells just like how the media has covered the Falcons in relation to Lamar Jackson. Neither the Falcons nor anyone else went after an unachievable player like Jackson. He was not going to leave Baltimore. However, the Falcons were always the ones receiving criticism for “passing” on an injured player.
ESPN spent almost five thousand words explaining why, despite six openings, Belichick isn’t working for the NFL. And the Falcons are under investigation?
Yes, that does sound familiar.
