Falcons Schedule Second Interview With Rams' Raheem Morris

Former Atlanta Falcons interim coach Raheem Morris is getting an extended look at the full-time job.

Despite reports suggesting that the Atlanta Falcons were close to hiring Bill Belichick, the weekend passed with no official news.

That may suggest that the Falcons' coaching search is more open than previously thought, and the team's recent actions support that theory.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Falcons are scheduling a second interview with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. Morris' first interview with the Falcons just took place on Saturday, so one would assume that said interview went quite well.

Morris is very familiar with the Falcons organization, as he served as the team's interim coach after the firing of Dan Quinn in 2020. The 47-year-old coach went 4-7 in his brief tenure in Atlanta, but the team did play noticeably better under him, at least for a while.

Morris also held a variety of titles, most notably assistant head coach after joining the Falcons in 2015. He worked his way up from a position coach to defensive coordinator in 2020, making him the natural choice to take over on an interim basis.

That wasn't Morris' first time as a head coach, though, as he previously led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011. His best season came in 2010, when he nearly guided the Bucs to the playoffs with a 10-6 record.

Since leaving Atlanta, Morris has been the leader of the Rams' defense. He helped L.A. win Super Bowl LVI in 2021, then led a young defense to rebound in 2023. Although the Rams would certainly love to keep him around, the team's brass has wholeheartedly supported him throughout his interviews.

Falcons Continue 'Wide Open' Search for Head Coach

The Falcons will have some competition if they want to bring Morris back to Atlanta, as he is reportedly also scheduling follow-up interviews with the Washington Commanders, Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks. Morris also interviewed with the Los Angeles Chargers, but there has been no news of a second interview with the club.

Morris is one of several coaches the Falcons have scheduled a second interview with, joining Belichick, Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh and Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.