The Atlanta Falcons are looking for their next head coach after another season of struggles. The group of candidates has continued to evolve over the last few weeks, with several prospects getting their shot to interview for the position.
But could their next head coach still be under contract, as a head coach, with another team? The Athletic’s Josh Kendall posed the question: What could the Falcons pay for Matt LaFleur if they were to trade for their next head coach?
OK Falcons fans: What would you offer the Packers for Matt LaFleur? Your 2026 second (leaving you without a pick in top two rounds this offseason)? Not your 2027 first, right?
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) January 15, 2026
Trading for a coach is not common, but also not unheard of. In fact, there have actually been several instances of this happening over the last 30 years. This tweet got us thinking about what the market could actually look like for the Falcons – and history has been either very kind to the teams who made these deals, or not at all.
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Take a look at what some of those coaches cost, and what came of it.
CASES OF A COACH BEING TRADED:
Sean Payton traded from the New Orleans Saints to the Denver Broncos in 2023
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
- Sean Payton retired from the Saints in 2022, but the Broncos acquired him after a year in television (similar to what people expect for Mike Tomlin). The Broncos sent the Saints a 2023 first- and a 2024 second-round pick for Payton and a 2024 third-round pick.
- The Broncos have been one of the better teams in the NFL over their three seasons since acquiring Payton. In that time, they are a combined 32-19, peaking as the AFC’s No. 1 seed in 2025.
Bruce Arians traded from the Arizona Cardinals to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images
- Bruce Arians stepped down from his position with the Cardinals in 2017, but wanted to come back to coaching in 2019. He agreed to a deal with the Buccaneers, and the franchises retroactively agreed to a pick swap (Arizona’s 2019 seventh-round pick in return for the Buccaneers’ 2019 sixth-round pick).
- He held the head coaching role for three years, finishing with a Super Bowl and a cumulative record of 31-18.
Herm Edwards traded from the New York Jets to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
- Herm Edwards was traded to the Chiefs from the Jets for a fourth-round pick.
- This is one of the deals that did not work out for the team who made the deal. Edwards was in his first head coaching role with the Jets, and they had reached the playoffs three times in five seasons, but was 4-12 the year before the deal was made. Edwards was fired after three years in Kansas City, finishing with a 15-33 record.
Jon Gruden traded from the Oakland* Raiders to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden | MPS-Imagn Images
- In what is the most lucrative deal of this nature, Jon Gruden was traded by the Raiders for two first- and two second-round picks, plus $8 million.
- The deal for Gruden paid instant dividends for Tampa, and they won their first Super Bowl in franchise history in the first year after the deal was made. The Buccaneers would quickly regress, but he would remain in Tampa until 2008, finishing with a record of 57-55.
Bill Belichick from the New York Jets to the New England Patriots in 2000
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick | MPS-Imagn Images
- Bill Belichick was a draft-night trade from the Jets to the Patriots, and New York infamously sent a 2000 first-round pick, plus a fourth- and seventh-round pick in 2001, in exchange for what became their biggest nightmare for the next two decades (plus a fifth- and seventh-round pick).
- Belichick would win six Super Bowls and coach in three more, departing New England as one of the game’s greatest masterminds after building a dynasty.
Mike Holmgren from the Green Bay Packers to the Seattle Seahawks in 1999
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren before the start of Super Bowl XL | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images
- Mike Holmgren resigned from the Packers position in 1998, but agreed to a position with the Seahawks in 1999. Seattle sent a second-round pick to the Packers as consolation.
- Holmgren turned a struggling Seattle team into a consistent playoff team, winning five division titles and even took them to their first Super Bowl in franchise history. He wrapped a decade with a combined 86-74 record.
Bill Parcells from the New England Patriots to the New York Jets in 1997
New York Jets head coach Bill Parcells | RVR Photos-Imagn Images
- The Jets landed Bill Parcells, but sent their first-round draft choice in 1999, second-round in 1998, and third- and fourth-round picks in the 1997 draft, plus $300,000 to the Patriots’ charitable foundation.
- The nasty precursor to the deal ultimately soured Bill Belichick (who was head coach for just six days) on the Jets ended with Parcells leading the team. He finished his tenure after just three years and a cumulative 29-19 record.
Don Shula from the Baltimore* Colts to the Miami Dolphins in 1970
Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula | RVR Photos-Imagn Images
- This ‘deal’ was more of a punishment than a ‘trade,’ but the Dolphins were ruled to have tampered with Don Shula after he left the Colts. Miami was forced to send Baltimore a 1971 first-round pick to finalize the deal.
- Shula turned a struggling franchise around, going undefeated just three seasons later. He won two Super Bowls with the Dolphins and retired as the NFL’s winningest coach in history, a mark that still stands to this day.
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WHAT COULD A DEAL LOOK LIKE?
Many of these instances have happened after a head coach decides to step away from the team, leaving the franchise to find a new head coach to fill their vacant position. When they come back, they are already looking for a new team on their own, leading the ‘trades’ to be more of a formality.
That’s not necessarily what the case is here for LaFleur.
There was talk that the Falcons could be interested in pursuing Green Bay’s LaFleur should he become available, but the Packers have reportedly opted to pursue an extension with their longtime head coach. Those negotiations are underway, but they have been described as “up in the air” by NFL insiders.
If they are unable to reach an agreement, then they could see what options are available to avoid a lame duck head coach.
A deal could look something like: 2027 first-round pick, 2026 fourth- and sixth-round pick.
Matt Ryan and the Falcons have ties to LaFleur, dating back to his time with the franchise from 2015 to 2016 as the quarterbacks coach. He left to become the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams (2017) and Tennessee Titans (2018) before taking the Packers job in 2019.
Over his seven seasons, LaFleur is a combined 76-40-1 (0.654 winning percentage) with six playoff appearances and three NFC North titles, but only one playoff win since 2020. Despite a recent lack of playoff success, LaFleur will still command a top-of-market salary (~$18-20 million) and a large investment of picks from any team looking to pick him up.
The Falcons do not have a lot of draft capital to spare, but if the Packers and LaFleur cannot agree soon, they may look to recoup something from their head coach. The Falcons might be a candidate to take advantage of that.
