Atlanta Falcons: Is Raheem Morris the right man for head coach job?
Could Atlanta Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris be the right man full time?
Now with the 2020 NFL season over and done with for the Atlanta Falcons, the organization is still on the search to fill two key decision-making spots this offseason.
Earlier in the 2020 campaign, Atlanta parted ways with head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff, resulting in the team trying to fill holes both on the sideline leading the players and coaches, as well as in the front office at the helm of the decision-making in the organization.
After a 4-12 performance during this year, the decisions the team makes in addressing both voids will weigh heavily on the future of the franchise and what direction it goes in both with personnel on the field and the decisions the organization makes both on and off the field to turn things around.
In the opening week of the offseason, the Falcons have begun the process of interviewing candidates for both the head coach and general manager position, with the head coaching vacancy getting some attention from media following the regular season finale.
Throughout the past weekend, names have emerged from numerous media sources, those names featuring the likes of Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator and former New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.
Although that list of names is full of qualified and impressive candidates, the Falcons should strongly consider a person that is and has led the team for most of the past year, that being interim head coach Morris.
Raheem Morris is in the running to be the full-time Atlanta Falcons head coach.
On New Years Day, right before the Week 17 matchup in Tampa Bay, Atlanta kicked off the new year by interviewing Morris for the open spot at head coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Falcons' interim HC Raheem Morris is interviewing today for the team's full-time HC job, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 1, 2021
According to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, the interview with Morris “went great” and for two hours. Anderson also added that Morris is considering other head coaching openings around the NFL, not just the Atlanta job.
I’m told #Falcons IHC Raheem Morris’ virtual interview for the full-time head coach position went great &/t full 2 hours allotted. I’m also told in the meantime Morris is open to other HC jobs —drawing interest from other teams, per source. He’s 4-6 this year, most losses close.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 2, 2021
Morris is a quality candidate and not only gives Atlanta some continuity from what ended up being somewhat of a more positive second half of the 2020 regular season, but it appears he also has the respect and support of the players and organization as a whole.
When Morris took over as interim head coach on Oct. 12 following the Falcons’ 0-5 start to the year, the team followed that start by going 4-6 the rest of the regular season, including a stretch where they won four games over the course of six weeks in the middle of the year. Five of those losses were also by five points or less.
Morris has done what he could with a team that has multiple vacancies and areas to work on — mainly defensively — throughout the year in his role as interim head coach. He’s a candidate that is worthy of long, hard look to take over in the permanent role, and has the NFL experience that will help.
Prior to his time in Atlanta, Morris served as head coach in Tampa Bay from 2009-11, going on to serve as defensive backs coach in Washington from 2012-14 before joining the Falcons. In Atlanta, he has held roles such as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach (2015), assistant head coach and wide receivers coach (2016–2018), assistant head coach and secondary coach (2019), and in 2020, defensive coordinator before becoming interim head coach midseason.
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There are a lot of names being thrown around in the running for the Falcons head coaching vacancy for the 2021 campaign and beyond as the organization looks to turn things around after a 4-12 finish in 2020. But one person that should get strong consideration to remain at the helm of the team is Morris, who did a nice job leading Atlanta after it parted ways with Quinn.