Sources – Falcons to rent Rams DC Raheem Morris as coach

ATLANTA — The Falcons are going again to their previous to attempt to solidify their future.

The Falcons plan to rent Raheem Morris as their new coach, sources advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday, making Morris the primary former NFL head coach Falcons proprietor Arthur Clean has employed in his 20-plus-year possession tenure.

Morris’ rent comes after an in depth search that featured 14 candidates, together with former New England Patriots coach Invoice Belichick, former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel and former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who was employed Wednesday because the Los Angeles Chargers’ new coach.

Morris was certainly one of 4 coaches who had second interviews with the membership. The others had been Belichick, Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The Falcons had been the one staff Belichick is understood to have interviewed with — they usually’ve determined to go in one other course.

This marks a return to Flowery Department, Georgia, for Morris, who was Atlanta’s interim coach for 11 video games in 2020 after the membership fired Dan Quinn halfway via the season. Morris went 4-7 with that staff however was not given the full-time job. As an alternative, the membership employed Arthur Smith.

Now, after three years and Smith being fired by the Falcons on Jan. 8, the Falcons have determined to return to Morris and rent him as their full-time coach.

The 47-year-old Morris spent the previous three seasons because the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator, together with successful a Tremendous Bowl with the Rams in 2021.

This will probably be Morris’ second stint as a full-time NFL head coach. He beforehand was the coach in Tampa Bay, the place he went 17-31 over three seasons from 2009 to ’11.

Morris then went to Washington because the defensive backs coach from 2012 to ’14 earlier than his first stint with the Falcons — first serving as defensive cross recreation coordinator in 2015 after which receivers coach from 2016 to ’19 — whereas additionally being Atlanta’s assistant head coach.

He was named the Falcons’ defensive coordinator in 2020 and was bumped to interim head coach after Quinn’s firing.

He takes over for Smith, who was fired after three seasons through which he went 21-30. Morris inherits a protection that includes second-team All-Professional security Jessie Bates III, cornerback A.J. Terrell and defensive lineman Grady Jarrett. He additionally will get gifted skill-position gamers on offense, together with tight finish Kyle Pitts, receiver Drake London, working backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier and two offensive linemen who had been there throughout his final stint with Atlanta — left sort out Jake Matthews and proper guard Chris Lindstrom.

Morris grew up in New Jersey after which performed school soccer at Hofstra on Lengthy Island, the place he began his teaching profession as a graduate assistant. He went to Cornell as a defensive backs coach in 1999 earlier than returning to Hofstra because the defensive backs coach from 2000 to ’01, then had his first stint within the NFL as a defensive assistant with the Buccaneers.

After Morris settles on his workers, his first order of labor will probably be determining the quarterback state of affairs. Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder stay on the roster, however Clean referred to as the staff’s quarterback play final season “poor,” and it was one of many causes resulting in Smith’s firing.