Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh Interviewed by Falcons for HC Job After Arthur Smith Firing

The Atlanta Falcons announced Tuesday night that they interviewed Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh for its head coaching vacancy.

The Falcons have now interviewed former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick; Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and assistant head coach and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver; Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan; San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks; and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero for the vacancy.

The Falcons are an intriguing team for potential coaches to consider, especially on the offensive side of the ball, where they feature young playmakers in running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts.

Former head coach Arthur Smith was regularly criticized for failing to get the most out of those talents, though it’s easy to imagine Harbaugh and his run-heavy offensive philosophy leaning heavily on Robinson.

Granted, the team’s biggest question is at quarterback, and any incoming head coach should be curious about Atlanta’s plans to address the position. Will the Falcons seek a veteran option in a trade (Justin Fields) or free agency (Kirk Cousins)? Will they use the No. 8 overall pick on the position or look to trade up to land one of the top options available?

As for Harbaugh, he’s one of the biggest names on the market and brings an impressive résumé.

At the professional level, he’s a former NFL quarterback who served two years as the quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders (2002-03) and four seasons as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, going 44-19-1 while leading the team to three playoff berths and one Super Bowl appearance.

At the college level he’s served as the head coach at San Diego (2004-06), Stanford (2007-10) and Michigan (2015-present), going 118-46 at the FBS level with three Big Ten championships and a national title this past season.

Harbaugh would undoubtedly be a splashy hire, though he’s going to have interest elsewhere and has already conducted an interview with the Los Angeles Chargers.