What next for the Atlanta Falcons? Consider that it was about a year ago that things started to unravel, then Coach Jim Mora Jr. joking about taking the head coaching job at his alma-mater over his position with the Falcons and the subsequent fallout. Interestingly, Louisville’s Bobby Petrino was thought to be more stable when he was signed to a five year contract on January 8th to replace Mora. No one seemed to notice at the time that Petrino had only six months earlier signed a ten year contract to remain at Louisville. No one seemed to notice that he had never stayed ANYWHERE in his coaching career more than three seasons and had a habit of signing and then walking away from contracts. He was, after all, the one coach in the football world who would finally make a prototype QB out of Michael Vick.

Then, before he had even unpacked his boxes, the Michael Vick experience turned into the Michael Vick nightmare, followed by assorted Michael Vick aftershocks. Before long the coach selected to make something of Mike was called upon to make something of Joey Harrington or Byron Leftwich. Within his first month on the field some of the multi-millionaire mouthpieces on the team decided to remind him that they would outlast his tenure as coach. He tried to flex his muscle by leveling some fines and sending a few dinosaurs packing.

I tell you, I am feeling bad for Arthur Blank. All this guy wants to do is field a successful program. On Monday Night Football, while his team was looking anything but successful on the field, he was in the booth with the guys telling them that the one thing he had was the right coach! Oops! 24 hours later and… does anyone have Marty Schottenheimer’s number? Bill Cowher?

But, it should get even more interesting. Don’t miss for a moment that there are a few big name coaches out there, and there is an undercover derby underway among a few NFL teams to talk to them first. Atlanta may have just been handed a favor by Bobby Petrino. They’re first in line. You have to wonder if this move will touch off some other conversations in other NFL cities to jockey for those coaches’ services.

So, immediately, an interim (likely D-Coordinator Mike Zimmer who is prominently pictured in the coaches section of the Falcons website right now) to lead the Falcons on these last three outings, including coming to Ray-Jay on Sunday. Then, back to the search process. I’ll tell you this - the next Falcons Head Coach won’t come from the college ranks… and won’t be fond of his alma-mater!