Speaking for the first time about the coach search that led to the hiring of Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank says former New England coach Bill Belichick made no demands for control of player personnel in Atlanta, as was widely speculated.

The June 2021 poll shows that 44% of Texans approve of Abbott’s job as governor, while 44% disapprove. His approval rating from Texas voters is better than those of Joe Biden, U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dade Phelan.

The Atlanta Falcons have named defensive coordinator Raheem Morris interim head coach after firing Dan Quinn. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)ATLANTA – The poor performance of Atlanta's defense under the leadership of Raheem Morris won't matter if Morris finds a way to win as the Falcons' interim coach. The more Morris wins, the better he'll look to Falcons owner Arthur Blank as perhaps more than just a temporary replacement for the fired Dan Quinn. Can Morris, elevated Monday to interim coach, be a candidate for the full-time job? Blank noted 11 games provides an unusually long opportunity for an interim coach to make his mark.

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. — AP Film Writer Lindsey BahrMUSIC— Jay-Z’s Roc Nation entertainment company has curated an album focused on social justice to be released Friday. — It’s taken nearly three decades but Scandal rocker Patty Smyth is releasing her first album of original material on Friday. Fans of that show will find similar style, cars, clothes and alpha male energy in “The Right Stuff,” an eight-part series based on Tom Wolfe's book. The show, about demon-hunting brothers Dean and Sam Winchester (Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki), debuted the same year as YouTube.