After interviewing 14 different head coaching candidates, including the great Bill Belichick, the Atlanta Falcons have finally found their replacement for Arthur Smith. Surprisingly, after several reports hinted at Belichick getting the job if he wanted it, the former New England Patriots leader is still looking for work.
The same goes for Mike Vrabel, who was also considered a top head coaching candidate for the Falcons. Yet, team owner Arthur Blank and GM Terry Fontenot decided to head in a different direction. However, the Falcons still found a qualified candidate who has previous head-coaching experience.
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Atlanta Falcons hire former Bucs head coach Raheem Morris for same position
There’s no doubt the Atlanta Falcons’ head coaching search was exhausting, but in the end, only one person stood out among the rest of the competition. That person is former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who has officially accepted the Falcons’ head coaching position.
Landing with the Falcons gives Morris a shot at revenge, where he’ll get to coach against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at least twice per season in the NFC South. This is unique for Morris, as he once became one of the youngest head coaches in NFL history when he took over coaching duties for the Bucs in 2009 at the age of 33.
Morris’s time with the Buccaneers resulted in a 17-31 record as a head coach, and he was let go after three seasons. However, he’d get another shot at being an NFL head coach in 2020 after Dan Quinn was fired following an 0-5 start. Morris led the Falcons to a 4-7 record, and now he’ll look to better that mark in 2024.
The front office be tasked with finding a new franchise quarterback this offseason, but Morris’s specialty comes on defense, where players like Jalen Ramsey are huge advocates for the coach’s expertise.
It’s worth noting that Morris was the Rams’ defensive coordinator when they won the Super Bowl in 2021, with a defense that boasted talented standouts like Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald. Now, he’ll be tasked with building a defense that can overwhelm opponents in Atlanta in what’s perceived to be a ‘weak’ NFC South division.
