The NFL coaching carousel is officially underway — and Deals & Deadlines is breaking down the sports business, coaching interviews, front office hiring, and NIL money driving the biggest decisions in football right now. Matt Chernoff and sports agent Hadley Engelhardt cover the latest on NFL head coach openings, GM job searches, the real behind-the-scenes interview process, the Rooney Rule, and why John Harbaugh unexpectedly hitting the market changes everything. Plus: the Falcons’ use of consultants, the buzz around Matt Ryan as President of Football Operations, the wild west of NIL and the transfer portal, and major uncertainty in sports TV rights that could impact teams like the Atlanta Braves. If you follow the Atlanta Falcons coaching search, the NFL head coach hiring cycle, college football NIL, or the future of regional sports networks (RSNs) — this episode is for you. ✅ Topics in this episode include: NFL coaching carousel 2026: Falcons, Giants, Titans, Browns, Raiders, Cardinals openings John Harbaugh firing fallout and why teams pivot their shortlists How agents schedule interviews, manage optics, and prep candidates (Zoom vs in-person) Rooney Rule explained + what “real” interviews look like Falcons hiring consultants: how search firms vet candidates + potential conflicts Matt Ryan Falcons front office role: why trust + branding matter in ownership decisions NIL valuations: QB $3.5M high-end, WR $1M–$2M, edge rushers $1M+ and more Transfer portal chaos: leverage, re-entering portal, “pay-for-play” reality Braves TV rights risk: FanDuel/Main Street Sports issues & what it means for payroll ESPN/Disney lawsuit & carriage disputes (Dish vs Disney) Ratings: CFP numbers, brand power, and why the NFL keeps setting records ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Deals & Deadlines (2026 kickoff) 00:43 – NFL coaching carousel: job openings + surprise Ravens move 01:03 – Agent perspective: HC vs GM interviews & preparation 01:32 – Rooney Rule explained + what “real” interviews look like 02:50 – Who calls who? How interview requests actually happen 03:28 – Choosing the right job: fit, roster, ownership, resources 04:33 – Zoom interviews vs in-person finals: what teams evaluate 05:48 – Why teams hire consultants for GM/HC searches (how it works) 06:14 – Consulting fees + “CYA” factor + hidden agenda risk 07:36 – Falcons front office: Matt Ryan as President of Football Ops? 08:22 – Trust vs experience + branding/optics for ownership 09:30 – Can a former player lead football ops? Learning on the job 11:19 – College football business: transfer portal & NIL market explodes 12:05 – NIL pricing tiers: QB market, WR market, OL/DL, defensive positions 13:40 – “Pay for play” reality + why there’s no loyalty in the portal 15:52 – Braves TV rights uncertainty: FanDuel/Main Street Sports payment issues 18:14 – RSNs, payroll pressure, free agency, and work stoppage worries 19:32 – Dish vs Disney: ESPN leverage, carriage disputes, market power 22:05 – CFP ratings: brand power vs storylines (will numbers drop?) 25:12 – NFL ratings: CBS best season ever + playoff viewership outlook 26:22 – Subscribe + where to watch/listen (new episodes every Friday)

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Chuck & Chernoff hit the headlines in the final hour of today's show which includes Trae Young, the Falcons and the College Football Playoffs. 

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During the 4pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff talked about the important questions that Arthur Blank must ask Matt Ryan if he is going to the President of Football Operations, the craziness going on right now in college sports, Carson Beck being a game manager, the College Football Playoffs, who is doing the interviewing for the Falcons right not, the idea of Matt LaFleur being the next Falcons Head Coach and more before Chuck delivered a College Football Today to the people. At the end of the hour the guys talked about Tiger Woods 50th Birthday party later this year and the fact that Arthur Blank is on the guest list. 

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During the 3pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff continued to dive into today's Falcons press conference earlier today before saying an official goodbye to Trae Young. Then the guys let listeners try to Win Chuck's Dinner before talking about the Ole Miss-Miami semfinal game in the College Football Playoff. 

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During the 2pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff talked about the Falcons and reacted to comments Arthur Blank made earlier today at the team's press conference. 

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Chuck, Chernoff, Cellini, Dimino & Westy talked about the Falcons press conference today and Trae Young's legacy with the Atlanta Hawks. 

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-Matt Ryan can go from super popular to public enemy # 1 if this doesn’t go well. 

-Plus this is the New World Order of College football.

- And having the Braves 1-2 punch healthy together from day one will pay major dividends. 

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During the 5pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff talked about the Falcons coaching search, Trae Young rumors and more! 

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During the 4pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff Chuck & Chernoff talked about the Falcons, Kirk Cousins, the Falcons coaching search, Trae Young, Joe Johnson, Dale Murphy, how much specific positions are being paid in college football, the Falcons need to sign another quarterback this off-season outside of Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix, the risk of the Falcons potentially hiring Matt Ryan as The President of Football Operations, Ian Rapaport, Tony Dungy, Peter King, Raheem Morris and more! 

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During the 3pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff talked about the Falcons Coaching Search, Trae Young trade reports and the Falcons job being in the middle of the road before being joined by our agent to the stars, Hadley Engelhard. Later in the hour the guys talked about about postition group makeovers in the SEC, specifically the Auburn WR core. 

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