ESPN REPORT: The head coach of the Atlanta Falcons is fired because of…
Raheem Morris was appointed head coach of the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday.
Morris last worked as Atlanta’s interim head coach three years ago, following Dan Quinn’s firing after the team’s 0–5 start. Morris’s record as Atlanta’s interim coach was 4-7, and Arthur Smith was brought in to take over. Smith was let go by the Falcons following three 7–10 seasons.
Morris is a respected member of the league and hails from the Los Angeles Rams, where he was the defensive coordinator for three great seasons. Both sides of the ball have been trained by him.
He was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011, making him the first head coach that owner Arthur Blank has ever appointed with prior NFL head coaching experience. When he was hired by Tampa, he was 32 years old and a young head coach.
After interviewing 14 candidates and holding additional follow-up interviews, including one with former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, Atlanta has concluded its search.
After a closer examination, Michael Rothstein of the Falcons provides answers to two significant queries regarding Morris’ hire, including what will happen as quarterback. Draft analyst Matt Miller relates the news to the draft as national reporter Dan Graziano discusses what he’s hearing about the hire and the reason it wasn’t Belichick. Mike Tannenbaum, a front office analyst, finally assigns a grade to the hire.
Since Morris served as Atlanta’s temporary head coach in 2020, what has changed?
Rothstein: Quite a bit. Since his departure after the 2020 season, the roster has been nearly entirely replaced. Of the players he left behind, only kicker Younghoe Koo, left tackle Jake Matthews, right guard Chris Lindstrom, right tackle Kaleb McGary, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, and cornerback AJ Terrell are still under contract through 2024.
Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot will now report directly to Blank rather than CEO Rich McKay, the Falcons stated. It has been stated by Blank that McKay will “no longer be involved in day-to-day football operations.”
Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the practice grounds may be the only things that remain the same in his eyes.
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Swagu: The quarterback position is crucial to Raheem Morris’s coaching success.Marcus Spears asserts that Raheem Morris is the Falcons’ best addition, but he also notes that the team will eventually evaluate him based on his selection as the starting quarterback.
How do the Falcons plan to handle quarterbacking?
Rothstein: This is up for debate and may depend on Morris’ choice of offensive coordinator.
Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke, Atlanta’s quarterbacks from the previous season, have contracts that expire in 2024, although Blank referred to their play as “deficient” at a press conference on January 8 following Smith’s departure. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that the Falcons will try to replace all or a portion of their quarterback room from the previous campaign.
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Ridder is a rookie who was selected in the third round of the 2022 draft. Heinicke may be eliminated from the cap, which would save Atlanta $7 million.
Morris is slated to be a free agent and was part of the Rams’ coaching staff the previous season when Baker Mayfield was brought in as a late-season replacement. If Tampa Bay was unable to reach an agreement with Mayfield, there would be some familiarity there. However, that’s all just conjecture at this time, and Mayfield and the Bucs have stated that they’d like to come to an agreement.
Atlanta might sign a senior free agent for the first year or more, and if a rookie quarterback makes sense, the Falcons might choose one at No. 8 or trade up to get one and use him to compete. Alternatively, there might be more long-term solutions like Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins.
The first major puzzle Morris and Fontenot must solve is what to do at quarterback and how that quarterback fits into an offense with strong skill position players after Morris settles in and puts together his staff: The contracts for tight ends Kyle Pitts and Jonnu Smith, receiver Drake London, running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, and tight end Drake London expire in 2024.
Reasons for not hiring Bill Belichick Garciasian by the Falcons: For weeks, numerous sources have stated that Blank wanted Belichick going into this process, and I believe the league and the industry anticipated that to be successful. However, there were obstacles that seemed insurmountable. Atlanta’s organizational structure incorporates CEO Rich McKay and Blank. A significant portion of Belichick’s conversations with McKay revolved around McKay’s potential role in the event that Belichick took over as coach of the team, as well as the ultimate power and control that would be shared amongst the individuals involved.
Some in the Falcons organization were worried that Belichick, who is 15 wins short of tying Don Shula’s all-time record for the most wins by a head coach, was a short-term fix and that they could have to redo a major makeover in a few years. Even though Blank was hoping for Belichick, he entered the process with an open mind and was prepared to hear what other members of his organization had to say. That, along with people’s already positive perceptions of Morris, produced this unexpected outcome. And in 2024, it might render Belichick jobless.
Following head coach Dan Quinn’s dismissal, Raheem Morris led the Falcons as an interim coach for the final 11 games of the 2020 campaign. The Icon Sportswire/Jevone Moore
What other rumors about the hire are there in the league?
Graziano Morris is the most well-rounded candidate in this cycle with a solid resume, and he has a terrific rapport with Blank. Thus, following 14 interviews—including two with Belichick—the Falcons made a hire that makes perfect sense for them.
Morris served as a coach for Atlanta from 2015 till 2020. He was a longtime defensive coach before switching to coaching wide receivers for the Falcons from 2016 to 2019. After Quinn was fired, he took over as defensive coordinator for the remaining 11 games of 2020 and led the team in an acting capacity. At that time, Blank made the strange decision to hire Smith rather than Morris. Well, the Falcons fixed their mistake after three years.
Morris has a great deal of respect and popularity in the NFL, and the Rams and Sean McVay pushed for him to become a head coach this summer. It should come as no surprise that Morris’ second interview with Blank went quite well, according to individuals who spoke with him earlier this week. The two men have a tight bond. But Morris returns to Atlanta with all the necessary expertise to handle this job thanks to his prior (although distant) head coaching experience, his work as an assistant on both sides of the ball, and his time working under McVay (whose assistants seem to constantly become head coaches).
Morris, who is the ideal f, should choose to play defense at No. 8
