Falcons owner calls possibility of losing OC Kyle Shanahan 'a big loss'

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank addressed the possibility of the team losing offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who is expected to be offered the San Francisco 49ers' head-coaching position once NFL rules allow.

"Well, I think Kyle would be a big loss,'' Blank told ESPN in a phone interview Wednesday. "But great coaches and great teams, that's what happens in the National Football League, unlike when I was running (Home Depot). When we had somebody who was ready to run a large division, it wasn't a problem. You'd take (him) and move him out of his division and give him his own division. In the NFL, you only have one NFL team. And unless we're going to put Kyle in charge of our soccer team -- and we already have a good coach there -- that's it. We only have one great football coach.

"Great coaches like Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells in the past, Coach (Joe) Gibbs and Andy Reid -- and the list goes on and on -- are great NFL coaches who have produced over time, and they lose their coordinators. Same with Mike Tomlin.''

Shanahan, who interviewed for head-coaching vacancies with the 49ers, Broncos, Jaguars during the playoff bye week, cannot come to an agreement with the 49ers until either after Sunday's NFC Championship Game with a loss or until after the Super Bowl. Shanahan can have a second interview with the 49ers between the NFC Championship Game at the Super Bowl, provided the Falcons advance.

Shanahan guided the league's top-scoring offense, averaging 33.8 points per game. Him being on the same page with quarterback Mat Ryan has helped turn Ryan into an MVP candidate.

"I think Kyle has focused hard on being inclusive this year (with) the other players and coaches," Blank said. "He's focused on that. He's focused on being a good listener and trying to understand where they were coming from. Kyle is a brilliant offensive mind and a great play-caller. Part of being good at any position of leadership in life is being a good listener and understanding where other people are coming from. That just makes you better. I think he got better this year in that regard. And I think he and Matt were more on the same page this year than they've been in the past.''

Falcons coach Dan Quinn said the situation is out of his team's hands until the 49ers formally request a second interview next week.