FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons have completed a virtual interview with Brian Callahan for the organization's head coach position, the team announced on Saturday, Jan. 13.
The Falcons spent some time getting to know a respected offensive mind who has been the Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator from 2019-23.
The 39-year-old has worked his way up the ranks to his current position, with tons of experience developing quarterbacks. That could be an asset for the Falcons as they try to get better play from that position in 2024.
Per NFL protocols, interviews with employees of other clubs must be conducted virtually prior to the conclusion of Divisional Playoff games on Sunday, Jan. 21. If the employer club has a Wild Card bye, virtual interviews must be conducted prior to the conclusion of Wild Card games. If the employer club is a Wild Card participant, virtual interviews may begin three days after its Wild Card game and must be conducted prior to the conclusion of Divisional Playoff games.
Beginning Monday, Jan. 22, clubs may conduct in-person or virtual interviews with candidates who are employed by other NFL clubs whose seasons have concluded and are prohibited from conducting initial interviews with candidates who are employed by clubs participating in the Conference Championship Games until the conclusion of the employer club's season.
Let's learn more about someone the Falcons are considering to become the 19th head coach in franchise history.
Interview date: Saturday, Jan. 13
Current job: Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator
Resume highlights:
- Denver Broncos, 2010-15: Callahan got his start as a coaching assistant. Within a year, he landed a role in offensive quality control. In 2013, he became an offensive assistant and remained as such through 2015.
- Detroit Lions, 2016-17: He was hired as the quarterbacks coach, a position he held for two seasons in Detroit.
- Oakland Raiders, 2018: He was the quarterbacks coach during his only season with the Silver and Black.
- Cincinnati Bengals, 2019-present: Callahan joined as the offensive coordinator and still is.
Fun fact: Brian Callahan is the son of former longtime NFL coach and coordinator, Bill Callahan, who was Raiders head coach from 2002-03 and Washington's interim head coach in 2019.
Why he's a candidate: Callahan has helped work wonders with Cincinnati's prolific offense, which features star quarterback Joe Burrow and receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He earned further respect in 2023, when he helped keep the offense going strong after Burrow went down with an injury to his throwing hand and was replaced by backup quarterback Jake Browning.
The UCLA product has been with the Bengals for five seasons and deserves some credit for helping Burrow develop. Callahan has previously been a quarterbacks coach for the Lions and Raiders, with plenty of experience working directly with signal callers.
The Falcons want someone to help guide a quarterback they'll likely acquired this offseason, either through free agency or the NFL Draft, and Callahan could be valuable in that endeavor.
The Bengals have received four interview requests for Callahan as of Jan. 11, per NFL Network, including the Falcons.
Strikes against: The Bengals featured an explosive offense that was strong statistically and in scoring during the 2021 and '22 seasons, but relatively lackluster outside of that two-year run.
