FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- If owner Arthur Blank hires a coach whose personality is directly opposite from Bobby Petrino's, DeAngelo Hall wants to return to the Atlanta Falcons next year.
Otherwise, the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback might demand a trade, though Hall stopped short this week of making a final statement about his future with Atlanta.
"I can't do this no more," Hall said. "I won't do this no more, let me say that. I will not be a part of a losing team another year, no matter what I got to do, no matter who hates me, whatever. I won't be a part of a losing team again, not if I can help it. "
The Falcons (3-11) have a five-game losing streak entering this weekend at Arizona (6-8).
"We went from one extreme of having a coach who played music in practice and a guy you could sit down and have a conversation with to the furthest extreme possible with a coach that don't even want to look at you in the face," Hall said. "Walks past you and doesn't even say anything to you. Never smiled."
Mora, now coaching the secondary in Seattle, led Atlanta to the NFC title game in 2004, his first season and Hall's rookie year. But the Falcons missed the playoffs in 2005-06, going 15-17.
Hall, a former No. 8 overall draft pick, grew so tired of what he described as an unapproachable attitude from Petrino that he still doesn't regret their sideline fight in Week 3.
Despite holding Carolina's Steve Smith without a catch in the first half, Hall was called for two personal fouls and 67 yards in penalties against the star receiver on a third-quarter possession that contributed largely to Atlanta's 27-20 loss.
When he came to the sideline after the Panthers' drive ended with a game-tying touchdown, Hall engaged in a shouting match with Petrino. Teammates had to drag Hall away from Petrino, who later fined his cornerback $100,000.
Hall also believes he was justified to carry a poster of imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick onto the Georgia Dome field two weeks ago, but he won't appeal his $10,000 fine from the NFL.
It might seem that Hall, who has one season remaining on a six-year contract that's paid over $30 million in salaries and bonuses, has little leverage to demand a trade. But his persistent willingness to "be brutally honest," as he puts it, could alienate the next coach and cause the replacement for general manager Rich McKay to trade him.
Asked about Bill Parcells, who earlier this week backed out of an agreement to become the Falcons' director of football operations, Hall offered no compliments.
"You've got to understand, too, that this is a new generation, a new kind of player," Hall said. "The rah-rah, threatening (approaches) don't really work no more ... I don't know him personally. All is I know is what I've heard from players who were with the Jets, New England and (Dallas)."
Hall likes Petrino's interim replacement, Emmitt Thomas, who has worked as Atlanta's secondary coach since 2002. But Thomas, at 65, doesn't want to pursue the job full-time.
"I don't think it's come to, 'Get me out of here right now,"' Hall said. "I wouldn't say that, but it's just that the offseason ... (is) definitely going to be interesting to see who we bring in, what free agents are available to go after, what draft picks we make to try to get better."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
