The Falcons have hired Raheem Morris, who was the defensive coordinator for the Rams, as the team’s new head coach.
Raheem Morris, who used to be the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, has been hired as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. The group seemed to be impressed by how energetic he was.
Morris was going to meet with the Seattle Seahawks in person on Friday. This week, he met with Falcons owner Arthur Blank and Atlanta’s top executives at Blank’s house. A source claimed CBS Sports Lead NFL Reporter Jonathan Jones that the quarterback “killed the interview.”
Morris was the defensive coordinator for the Rams for three years, with the 2021 season being his last. He helped L.A. win the championship game at home. When Jalen Ramsey heard the news, he wrote on social media, “Falcons earned one of, perhaps, the best coach within the NFL for real!”
He has worked for the Falcons before as an assistant coach, pass game coordinator, and receivers coach from 2015 to 2019, and then as a defensive coordinator in 2020.
Jones took over as interim coach when Atlanta ousted Dan Quinn in the year 2020 and went 4-7. He also coached the Buccaneers of Tampa Bay from 2009 to 2011 and had a 17-31 record.
The Falcons interviewed 14 people for the job of head coach, and the famous Bill Belichick was one of them. But Morris was the one who hit home with Atlanta’s top leaders.
Morris takes over for Arthur Smith, who was dismissed just hours after having his third straight 7-10 season. The Hawks were 6-6 following 12 games this year, but they lost their last four games.
The Falcons had a.500 record for the third year in a row, but then they lost all of their games after the year.
The young Rams defense led the league in both yards allowed every game (337.9 ypg) and points scored per game (22.2 ppg) at the end of the 2023 season. Morris is the first Black coach in the history of the team.
Los Angeles had a 10–7 record and advanced to the playoffs as a “wild card.” Jones says Morris might hire Zac Robinson, who is currently the pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Rams, as his offensive coordinator.
The Falcons hired Raheem Morris as their new coach on Thursday. He is the first former NFL head coach that Arthur Blank has hired in more than 20 years as owner.
“Today is a big day with the Atlanta Falcons,” Blank stated in a press release. “We are thrilled to have Raheem Morris back in Atlanta as the new head coach of the team.”
There were many great candidates, but Raheem stood out as the best. He is the right leader for our team to move forward.
“His time in LA gave him a better understanding of many things that have made him a better coach in all areas of the game, including people, running a team, game planning, managing a great offensive staff, and more.”
I think he is a better leader now and has a much better understanding of the things it takes for there to be a one-team culture where everyone works together well.
Morris was hired after a long search that included 14 candidates, such as Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel, Jim Harbaugh, who was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday, and Mike Vrabel, who used to coach the Tennessee Titans.
Four coaches got second chances to talk to the club, and Morris became one of them. Belichick, Bobby Slowik, who is the offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans, and Ejiro Evero, who is the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, were the others.
The Falcons have been the sole club that is known that they’ve talked to Belichick, but they have decided not to hire him.
Morris is going back to Flowery Branch, Georgia. He was Atlanta’s temporary coach for 11 games in 2020 following the team fired Dan Quinn in the middle of the season.
Morris had a 4–7 record with that team, but he wasn’t given a full-time job. The club chose Arthur Smith instead.
Now, three years later, and with Smith fired on January 8, the Falcons are opting to bring Morris back as their on-call- coach.