The Falcons just hired the 19th head coach in franchise history. That normally offers an opportunity to get familiar with the new guy coming to Atlanta from another franchise.
There's a catch this time. The Falcons already know Raheem Morris well. As they should.
More on Morris:
Morris spent six seasons coaching the Falcons with various titles, including interim head coach for the last 11 games of 2020. He worked on both sides of the ball in Atlanta, as wide receivers coach, passing-game coordinator and then defensive coordinator before a temporary promotion to the top spot.
So, yeah, he's familiar to the Dirty Birds. Let's find out more about the 47-year-old with a sterling reputation across the NFL from his time working outside Atlanta.
Morris has 'that magnetism'
Morris has a strong reputation across the league, especially from players who worked for him. While several praised the hire, star cornerback Jalen Ramsey was effusive. He said, on X, that the "Falcons got one of, if not the best coach in the NFL forreal!" Ramsey backed that up with another post, saying "It ain't just me who thinks this lol…ask any player who has played for Rah."
Rams head coach Sean McVay, who worked with Morris the last three seasons, seems to know why.
"What I remember is, as soon as we were able to get him on board, there was an immediate excitement from everybody that he touched in this building, whether it be players, coaches (or) staff," McVay said, via ESPN. "And he's got that magnetism about him where he is just saying something's different about this guy and he's really special."
Former Falcons wide receiver Roddy White agreed with that sentiment, posting "I just really like Rah. He's a real one."
First coach with NFL HC experience in Blank era
Morris represents the first head coach hired by Falcons owner Arthur Blank with experience as an NFL head coach. It came in 2009-11 with Tampa Bay, when he succeeded Jon Gruden as Bucs head coach despite being just 32 years old. Technically, as Atlanta's interim head coach in 2020, too, with a 4-7 record that season.
Morris went 17-31 in three seasons at the helm in Tampa, with a 10-6 record between two campaigns with seven total wins. Morris said he "was ready, but wasn't prepared" for the opportunity of being a head coach.
He has 12 years coaching experience since then, with a Falcons interim stint, three years as Rams defensive coordinator and a Super Bowl ring to show for it.
All Morris has been through should help him this time around, when he'll be charged with helping take the Falcons to the next level.
Morris owns not one, but two Super Bowl rings
Most NFL fans know Morris played a significant role in the Rams' Super Bowl championship capping the 2021 season. His defense was awesome down the stretch, with 20 or fewer points in three of four playoff games.
What most don't know is that Morris was on staff back in 2002, when the Buccaneers won NFL's biggest prize. He was just a defensive quality control coach then, in his first season as a coach in the league.
Current Falcons team CEO Rich McKay was the Bucs GM at the time, a connection that has endured and has been reestablished in Atlanta (again) in 2024.
It all started at Hofstra
Morris' first coaching gig came at his alma mater. He started as a graduate assistant in 1998, after four years playing safety for the school.
Then he spent a year as Cornell's defensive backs coach in 1999, followed by two years' work at Hofstra. After that, it was off to the NFL – save one year as Kansas State's defensive coordinator in 2006 – while working up the coaching ranks. That included stops with the Bucs (2002-05) (2007-11), Washington's football club (2012-14), the Falcons (2015-20), the Rams (2021-23) and, now, Atlanta again in 2024.
