Who is Rich McKay? Mike Florio names biggest impediment to Falcons landing former 28-3 coach

Rich McKay, a top Atlanta Falcons executive, will play a central role as the team searches for a replacement for coach Arthur Smith, who was fired after three seasons. But if the team pursues NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick, who interviewed with the Falcons on Monday, McKay could be a major obstacle, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports.

On a recent episode of "Pro Football Talk," Florio talked about why McKay's role with the team could hurt its chances of landing Belichick:

"Rich McKay is the question here. The wild card here. Will Rich McKay be completely removed from football operations and also removed from the ear and elbow of owner Arthur Blank? If you're Bill Belichick, you don't want to have to deal with Rich McKay.

"All due respect to Rich. It becomes a potential problem and impediment. You want a straight line to the owner with no buffers, no middlemen, not none of the stuff that could make it harder for Belichick to do what he's trying to do. That's going to be the biggest issue from Belichick's standpoint."

McKay has been a part of the NFL for decades.

Rich McKay has been with the Atlanta Falcons since 2004 and was the general manager for the first four years before being promoted to president and CEO in 2011. He has the ear of owner Arthur Blank given his tenure with the franchise.

Before joining the Atlanta Falcons, McKay was the general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 10 seasons (1994-2003). He was the architect of the Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl 37 in the 2002 season.

His connection to the franchise can be traced back to his father, John McKay, who coached the Buccaneers from their inception in 1976 to 1984. While attending Jesuit High School, which is just blocks from the former Tampa Stadium and the current Raymond James Stadium, he was a Bucs ballboy before attending Princeton.

McKay also has a law degree from Stetson University.

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Why Rich McKay could be an issue should Bill Belichick become Falcons HC?

While with New England, Bill Belichick was the de facto general manager of the team throughout his tenure. The three-time AP NFL Coach of the Year only answered to owner Robert Kraft. Rich McKay only reports to Blank in the current structure of the Falcons organization.

The Falcons' 34-28 overtime loss in Super Bowl 51 to Belichick's Patriots is one of the biggest and most talked-about collapses in NFL history, because Atlanta blew a 28-3 third-quarter lead in 2017. That was the fifth of Belichick's record six Super Bowl wins.

However, hiring the future Hall of Famer could be a major boost to a team full of young talent. Fans will have to wait and see what Belichick and if does get the head coaching job in Atlanta.

Jim Harbaugh, the national championship-winning coach of the Michigan Wolverines and former coach of the San Francisco 49ers, interviewed with Atlanta on Tuesday.