Atlanta Falcons Rush to Bring in First Coach for Second Interview ahead of Titans

The Atlanta Falcons are set to begin their second round of head coach interviews on Saturday. The first coach to get a second interview? Two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, most recently of the Cleveland Browns.

"Sources: The Falcons are kicking off their second round of head coach interviews Saturday by bringing former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski to Atlanta for another round of talks. Stefanski will be the first candidate to have a second interview with the Falcons," Adam Schefter reported on X.

Stefanski interviewed last week, and the Falcons made it a priority to get a second interview ahead of another opening.

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"Atlanta was calculating in arranging this interview, moving it up ahead of Kevin Stefanski’s scheduled interview Sunday with the Titans," Schefter continued. "Atlanta now gets the next, and potentially pivotal, meeting with Stefanski."

The Falcons may have tipped their hand on their preferred candidate by accelerating the process for Stefanski ahead of the Titans. However, other top candidates, including Klint Kubiak and Robert Saleh of the Seahawks and 49ers, respectively, are still in action in the NFL Playoffs.

"Former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is meeting with the Atlanta Falcons again today, per source," Dianna Russini added. "Stefanski has been working behind the scenes to assemble a potential coaching staff to present to the Falcons."

The Seahawks take on the 49ers on Saturday night, so at least one of them will be available for a second interview as soon as Sunday morning.

The rumor mill has been relentless on who the Falcons would prefer to hire.

New York-based reporter Connor Hughes was adamant John Harbaugh would come down to the Giants and Falcons, with the loser turning to Stefanski.

Chad Forbes believes the Falcons are targeting Kubiak and pair him with 49er Director of Scouting and Football Operations Josh Williams as general manager.

And internet sleuth RickyScoops likes Williams as GM, but with Saleh as the head coach, with Matt Ryan looking to someone with previous experience in a head coaching role. However, he quickly changed course to back Hughes after Schefter's report on Stefanski.

Despite two dreadful seasons as the DeShaun Watson deal took its toll on the Browns roster, Stefanski is the winningest Cleveland Browns coach since Bill Belichick. The Browns have had an NFL Coach of the Year three times in their history, and Stefanski has won it twice. They have three seasons of 10 or more wins in the last 30 years, and Stefanski has two of them.

Saleh is the former head coach of the New York Jets, who is the only team in the NFL with a longer playoff-less streak than the Falcons. He's had a season of redemption with the 49ers, at times piecing his defense together with duct tape.

Kubiak hasn't been a head coach before, but he's arguably the hottest offensive assistant on the board. The Seahawks finished third in scoring in the NFL, and Sam Darnold finished fifth in the NFL in passing yards in his first season in Seattle.

Ian Cunningham of the Chicago Bears is the other name at general manager strongly linked to the Falcons. The Bears take on the Rams in the final game of the divisional round on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.