Raheem

Morris

ESPN reporters, including Jeremy Fowler, confirmed what Falcons owner Arthur Blank had said in February after the team went with Raheem Morris over Belichick, the second winningest coach in NFL history. Belichick had expressed willingness to work closely with Atlanta’s front office, including general manager Terry Fontenot. He had not — as some had assumed — demanded control of all team operations, though some in the Atlanta front office worried that Belichick would eventually take control of roster building. Some in the organization viewed Belichick as “an older, stoic coach who’d blow up the building.” Blank was leaning toward hiring Belichick, according to ESPN, before talking with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who warned Blank not to trust Belichick. A source close to Kraft told ESPN the Pats owner “found Bill to be extremely difficult and obstinate and kind of stubborn and, in the end, not worthy of his trust. And also very, very, very arrogant.” Other teams, including the Titans, were turned off by what Belichick had done to the New England offense in the years after parting ways with Tom Brady. Belichick, per ESPN, will pursue head coaching vacancies next January, including, possibly, the Cowboys.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter takes it a step further, saying the Falcons “plan to hire” Sean McVay’s defensive boss. The long-ago coach of the Bucs, Morris has been a popular retread candidate for over a decade, but it took coaching Aaron Donald to finally put him over the top for a second chance. Morris did excellent work with a Donald-led but overall thin unit in 2023. He was not a disaster during his three-year head-coaching stint, while he spent half a decade as a Falcons assistant, spending 11 games as interim head coach in 2020. He evidently made an excellent impression. Morris’ hire would mean Bill Belichick is left out in the cold, a highly-surprising development.

One of the hottest names of the coaching cycle, Morris will now meet with multiple teams for a second round of interviews and could soon find himself in another head coaching role. Morris has received multiple endorsements from current and former players and coaches for a head coaching gig and was once among the youngest head coaches in the league when the Buccaneers hired him in 2009. Morris spent time in Washington (2012-2014) and Atlanta (2015-2020) before being hired by the Rams in 2021.

Seattle is also planning second interviews with Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. It’s certainly a thorough process to replace longtime head coach Pete Carroll. Morris has drawn interest from several teams and could have his pick of head coaching jobs in the next week or two. Quinn’s chances to land the Seattle job might have been dinged by the Cowboys’ defensive meltdown against the Packers in the Wild Card round.

Bieniemy sat down with team owner Josh Harris and new general manager Adam Peters to discuss Washington’s head coaching opening. The team fired Ron Rivera last week and has interest in Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who could have his pick of head coaching gigs this month. Bieniemy’s first season as Commanders OC was rocky, at best, with Sam Howell proving he is not an NFL starter. Washington was among the pass heaviest teams in the league. Bieniemy has been discussed as an NFL head coaching candidate for many years now. He could finally get his shot in Washington.

Morris was also reportedly interviewing with the Chargers on Saturday and interviewed for the Panthers job on Wednesday. This is the fourth known interview for Morris who appears to be gaining traction for another shot at a head coaching gig after guiding the Rams defense since 2021.

Morris also interviewed for the Panthers job on Wednesday and fielded an interview request from the Seahawks, which should lead to an interview in the coming days. The former Bucs head coach has been the Ram’s defensive coordinator since 2021 and helped lead the team to a Super Bowl in during that time. He figures to get another head coaching shot soon.

The Panthers have cast a wide net for their head coaching search and Morris is next on the list. He has been the Rams’ defensive coordinator since 2021, winning a Super Bowl during his time with the team. The Panthers are the latest on a long list of teams interviewing Morris. The Falcons, Chargers, Commanders, and Seahawks all plan to interview the accomplished coordinator.

Morris continues to stack up interviews. The Seahawks are now the fourth team to request an interview with Morris, who could be just weeks away from receiving his second opportunity as a head coach. Morris coached the Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011, going 17-31 during his three seasons. Morris has bounced around with several teams since being let go by the Buccaneers and has received high praise from several coaches and league executives. His tenure with the Rams includes a Super Bowl championship and an impressive 2023 campaign in which his defense played far better than expected.

Morris’ list of potential suitors continues to grow, as he is now expected to speak with the Falcons, Chargers, Commanders, and Panthers in the coming days. Morris joining the Falcons would be a reunion for both sides. He served with the team in various capacities from 2015 through 2020 and was the interim head coach in 2020 after Dan Quinn was fired following an 0-5 start. In his interim role with the Falcons, Morris led the team to a 4-7 record and was passed over for now former head coach Arthur Smith. Morris has received high praise from several coaches across the league, including fellow Rams coach Sean McVay and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.