Reason for Marquice Williams declining Patriots' job offer is not what you think

Jerod Mayo has been fully immersed in the coaching search since he was named Bill Belichick's successor, and the list of interviews he's conducted or will conduct is growing by the day. Unfortunately, some of his top candidates have already been hired by other teams, narrowing the choices down quite a bit.

However, multiple reports indicated more interviews are set up for this weekend, with a few names going to Foxboro for an in-person meeting with the new head coach.

Then came the news of a recent interviewee rejecting the offer to become the Patriots' next special teams coordinator on Friday evening, prompting many responses across the NFL, most of which have made New England a laughing stock.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported that Marquice Williams, the current Falcons special teams coordinator, was offered the role with the Patriots this week. He apparently rejected the offer, thus becoming the latest name Mayo could not sign to his staff.

For some reason, many Patriots fans and foes came together to dunk on the team for Williams' decision, deciding he declined the role because of how bad the Patriots are or will be. But that doesn't seem to be the case in this situation, as speculation provides the context lacking in Wilson's original report.

Although many would just love confirmation that coaches don't want to be in Foxboro, it appears as though Williams wasn't interested in making a lateral move but having to literally move his family thousands of miles north to do the same job. On top of that, rumors suggest he will likely remain in his position even under new head coach Raheem Morris, who the Falcons hired on Thursday.

All signs indicated that was the reason for his rejection, along with Atlanta denying him permission to interview with the Giants earlier this month.

Given that the position with the Patriots wouldn't have been a promotion and what it would take to make the move, etc., it makes complete sense why Williams would choose against accepting the role.

Now, Mayo will be down to just two other candidates for the special teams coordinator position. He has reportedly already interviewed Thomas McGaughey, who formally held the job with the Giants, and has set up an in-person interview on Sunday with Jeremy Springer, who spent the last two seasons as the Rams' special teams assistant.

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