Austin Emerges As Top Atlanta Falcons Candidate

If the Atlanta Falcons wanted some idea of what kind of coaching staff potential head coach Teryl Austin would want for the team, the current Detroit Lions defensive coordinator could not have made more of a splash with his answer.

Adam Gase, come on down.

According to a story on ESPN.com, a source indicated that part of Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin's pitch to become the Falcons' head coach is to bring Adam Gase along as his offensive coordinator. Gase, the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos this season, was a finalist for the San Francisco 49ers' coaching job and was among the first group of candidates interviewed by Falcons owner Arthur Blank and the search committee.

Although Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn emerged as the favorite for the Falcons after the first round of interviews, Austin had a chance to make a strong case during his second interview Thursday. With Gase in the mix, the potential formidable combination might not only fix a broken defense but also add more juice to an already potent offense led by quarterback Matt Ryan and Pro Bowl receiver Julio Jones.

If Gase joins the Falcons and takes their offense to another level, it would make him that much more attractive for head-coaching opportunities next year.

Gase could also become a candidate for the open coaching job in Denver, but it appears current Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator and former Broncos player Gary Kubiak is still the front runner for that job.

Both Quinn and Austin have contacted Gase about becoming offensive coordinator in Atlanta, a source said.

Because Gase has already met with Atlanta's brain trust in interviewing for the head-coaching job, the Falcons would be a convenient fit for him. Atlanta is considered the most appealing landing spot for Gase given the presence of Ryan, Jones and other pieces on an offense that finished eighth in the NFL in yards per game in 2014.

The story online also states that Gase had interest from the St. Louis Rams Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders in the past 24 hours.

Austin engineered the league's top-ranked rushing defense (69.3 yards per game) and second-ranked total defense (300.9 yards per game). The Lions tied for second in scoring defense, allowing just 17.6 points per game.