Falcons interested in Saints’ VP/assistant GM Terry Fontenot

The Falcons are one of few teams already on the lookout for a new general manager, meaning we are already seeing the rumor mill ramping up before many teams have even had a chance to create an open job position.

So far, the Falcons have been linked to ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, former Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, former Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith, Rams director of college scouting Brad Holmes, and Bears assistant director of personnel Champ Kelly.

Now the Falcons are rumored to be considering Vice President and Assistant General Manager of Pro Personnel Terry Fontenot. Is he related to the team’s 2008 7th round pick Wiley Fontenot? We tried finding out and the answer seems to be probably not! More from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Fontenot, who has helped general manager Mickey Loomis build the Saints into a Super Bowl contender, is the new one to the group. He interviewed for the New York Jets’ general manager position in 2019.

Per Ledbetter, the Falcons will interview Fontenot, Holmes, and Smith for the empty general manager position. Of the three, Smith has prior general manager experience with the Houston Texans before leaving temporarily for family issues before being pushed out by Bill O’Brien’s power grab. Holmes and Fontenot have ample front office experience, both part of some stellar drafts.

Fontenot may be most interesting as he has become a big name with the rival Saints. The Falcons could pull a Joe Horn/Lance Moore (sure wish there was a better example) and slow down a team that has been a constant thorn in Atlanta’s side. Fontenot is a former player who worked his way up from intern up to near the top of the Saints organiztion.

Reading the tea leaves, it appears Rich McKay and/or Arthur Blank are looking heavily to add the team’s first Black general manager. The Falcons desperately need a new perspective regardless of the eventual hire.