Falcons blatantly breaking the hiring rules

[HawkFan72]

How are the Falcons getting away with breaking the NFL hiring rules? Why is no one talking about this?

Dan Quinn cannot be hired until after the Super Bowl.

Yet the Falcons have already leaked to NFL circles that they are hiring Quinn and now the Falcons are hiring a staff.

Does anyone really believe that Quinn is not handpicking his staff?

Raheem Morris and now Richard Smith have "come to verbal agreements" to join the Falcons staff. Why are the Falcons hiring all these coaches if they do not have a head coach yet?

This is a blatant violation of the NFL rules, IMO. I don't know why they are allowed to get away with this.

If they want to wait to hire Quinn, fine. We've known for some time that he'd be gone. But they aren't waiting. They have already hired him in every way except for an official word.

Also, I don't like that Quinn is obviously spending time interviewing and hiring a staff when he should be getting ready for the Super Bowl.

Teams don't wait to hire coaches after the Super Bowl because it is too hard to put a staff together that late. So the Falcons just said screw it, and they are doing it anyway. I really think the NFL needs to step in and make an example of this situation so it doesn't happen again in the future, but they obviously won't.

 

[onanygivensunday]

Atlanta was able to talk with Quinn last week (since they interviewed him during our first bye week) and I'm sure that they discussed his priorities for filling out his staff.

I don't see anything wrong here (as long as there's been no contact this week).

 

[ImTheScientist]

No issue. Back in the 90's they were allowed to hire coaches at anytime. This isn't a problem.

Why on this message board are there so many people getting pissed off over little things this week? Can't we all just enjoy the week?

 

[volsunghawk]

How are the Falcons getting away with breaking the NFL hiring rules? Why is no one talking about this?

Dan Quinn cannot be hired until after the Super Bowl.

Yet the Falcons have already leaked to NFL circles that they are hiring Quinn and now the Falcons are hiring a staff.

Does anyone really believe that Quinn is not handpicking his staff?

Raheem Morris and now Richard Smith have "come to verbal agreements" to join the Falcons staff. Why are the Falcons hiring all these coaches if they do not have a head coach yet?

This is a blatant violation of the NFL rules, IMO. I don't know why they are allowed to get away with this.

If they want to wait to hire Quinn, fine. We've known for some time that he'd be gone. But they aren't waiting. They have already hired him in every way except for an official word.

Also, I don't like that Quinn is obviously spending time interviewing and hiring a staff when he should be getting ready for the Super Bowl.

Teams don't wait to hire coaches after the Super Bowl because it is too hard to put a staff together that late. So the Falcons just said screw it, and they are doing it anyway. I really think the NFL needs to step in and make an example of this situation so it doesn't happen again in the future, but they obviously won't.

Seems to me that since Quinn got a bit of interest last year, he may have spent time this year planning for interviews and putting together candidates for when he got his HC shot. It's entirely possible that when he interviewed with the Falcons during the approved timeframe, he gave them a list of assistants he would want to bring on. Those interviews you say Quinn is doing may have been done last offseason.

 

[kidhawk]

You are assuming that Quinn is hand picking his staff. It doesn't always work that way, especially for first time head coaches. One of the reason teams don't wait for coaches is that they have to wait to fill out the staff. If the Falcons have decided they want Quinn, and they spoke to him about what type of coaches he would hire (this would be a fair interview question) then the GM may have decided to fill out the coaching staff and then hire the coach.

Also, we can discuss this here as long as it pertains to Quinn, but there is also a post in the NFL forum to discuss this as a Falcons hiring discussion.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=107099

 

[DavidSeven]

I don't really see the harm?

Falcons are hiring Quinn no matter what. Does it really matter if there's a bit of *wink, wink* going on in terms of filling out the staff? I'd rather it happen this way than have Quinn distracted by the fact he can't get his staff together. If he loses out on those guys, that means he's more likely to take staff from Seattle -- no thanks. Let him collude with ATL all he wants.

 

[Rat]

Don't like the potential distraction, but I'd have no problem if we were the ones doing this, so it'd be hypocritical of me to rip on the Falcons for it.

 

[hawkfannj]

Got no problem with the falcons doing this Quinn isint slacking on this week because of it .

 

[ManBunts]

I wasn't aware it was illegal, just something that is rarely done because teams want to have their coaching staff selected by now and not wait through the Super Bowl. And it's a widely known interest. They may have guys on board verbally assuming Quinn takes the job, which could all be engineered without Quinn's say. I'm not a fan of the distraction factor, but you can't deny the man's talent. Wish him the best

 

[HawkFan72]

I wasn't aware it was illegal, just something that is rarely done because teams want to have their coaching staff selected by now and not wait through the Super Bowl. And it's a widely known interest. They may have guys on board verbally assuming Quinn takes the job, which could all be engineered without Quinn's say. I'm not a fan of the distraction factor, but you can't deny the man's talent. Wish him the best

It is against the rules for them to hire him before the Super Bowl.

 

[Hawks46]

I don't really see the harm?

Falcons are hiring Quinn no matter what. Does it really matter if there's a bit of *wink, wink* going on in terms of filling out the staff? I'd rather it happen this way than have Quinn distracted by the fact he can't get his staff together. If he loses out on those guys, that means he's more likely to take staff from Seattle -- no thanks. Let him collude with ATL all he wants.

I think some people are worried that this will affect our SB prep. Flash backs of Bradley being interviewed before the Atlanta divisional game and coming up with a less than spectacular game plan because of it. I can see the point.

 

[v1rotv2]

There is nothing blatantly illegal here. The Falcons are just indicating that it is their intent to hire DQ. No papers have been signed and submitted. DQ and the Falcons can discuss anything they want and those assistant coaches are free to be hired now.

 

[sc85sis]

They got his preferences for assistants in the two interviews they conducted. They don't need him to do anything now.

 

[Hawknballs]

I'm not sure how it can be a blatant violation of the rules, but also just be your opinion. It is or it isn't, and its not because its victimless as long as the Seahawks have given permission.

A blatant rule violation, for example, and one not subject to opinion, is say, I don't know . . imagine a really odd scenario where a team was taking advantage of the most important piece of equipment in the game, the ball, and violating the rules of said ball's condition to gain an advantage in a championship game.

 

[Gametime]

I don't really see the harm?

Falcons are hiring Quinn no matter what. Does it really matter if there's a bit of *wink, wink* going on in terms of filling out the staff? I'd rather it happen this way than have Quinn distracted by the fact he can't get his staff together. If he loses out on those guys, that means he's more likely to take staff from Seattle -- no thanks. Let him collude with ATL all he wants.

I think some people are worried that this will affect our SB prep. Flash backs of Bradley being interviewed before the Atlanta divisional game and coming up with a less than spectacular game plan because of it. I can see the point.

This is Pete's defense anyway. They will be prepared. That's about the most assured thing about this game. Preparation won't ever be the reason a PC led team loses.

 

[olyfan63]

If anything, Quinn putting in his list and priorities for staff, and letting the Atlanta FO handle it as best they can, will help him focus for the SB. He'll get more of his first choices, and not be frustrated about going into a situation where the best assistants on his list have already been locked up.

 

[DeSeahawk]

I think it'd be funny if DQ told Atlanta "NO" next week.

 

[AVL]

Let's go ahead and fire him now!

 

[brimsalabim]

I don't like that he isn't completely focused on the Pats or that he now has another boss to answer to but I don't have to like it as long as Pete and the FO are okay with it.

 

[garrylt4]

I think Atlanta's 1st round pick would make me feel better about all this.