Raheem Morris Compares Falcons DL Grady Jarrett to Rams Great Aaron Donald

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris sees similarities between Grady Jarrett and former Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald.

Atlanta Falcons star Grady Jarrett is one of the NFL's best defensive tackles. / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

At 8 p.m. Monday night, Grady Jarrett sat in a chair donning an all-black outfit with a gold chain, bracelet and wristwatch.

On his left were punter Bradley Pinion and running back Bijan Robinson. In front of him was the entire Atlanta Falcons' rookie class.

Jarrett, Pinion and Robinson spoke to the group on giving back to the Atlanta community. For Jarrett, his 'Grady Gives' initiative was at the forefront of the conversation - and for head coach Raheem Morris, the night served as a glowing endorsement for the 31-year-old defensive tackle's value to the organization.

"Just listening to him talk about his passion for Atlanta and his Grady Gives and the things that he does for us, it’s just a reflection of what we left and what we miss about Grady and guys like that," Morris said Tuesday in a press conference. "I just know what he wants to do for this city and how passionate he is for this city."

The Falcons played without Jarrett for the final-nine games of last season, as his ninth professional campaign ended prematurely with a torn ACL on just his fourth snap against the Tennessee Titans in Week 8.

Jarrett is still rehabbing his knee and has not been able to participate on the field during the Falcons' OTAs. There's a chance he's back for mandatory minicamp June 10-12, Morris said, but regardless, he should be ready to go for Week 1 on Sept. 8.

"With Grady, it’s really funny - it’s really not even a conversation, it’s almost a look in his eye," Morris said. "

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Morris and Jarrett first joined the Falcons in the same offseason, the former being hired Jan. 26, 2015, and the latter being drafted exactly 97 days later. Ironically, Jarrett has donned No. 97 his entire professional career.

Across their six years together, Morris saw Jarrett morph from overlooked fifth-round draft pick to a two-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro selection.

Morris's role grew similarly, serving in a variety of roles headlined by defensive backs and receivers coach before becoming the defensive coordinator for five games in 2020 and interim head coach for the final 11 after the performance-related firing of head coach Dan Quinn.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank and staff interviewed Morris for the full-time head coaching vacancy but opted instead for then-Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

So, Morris left. He spent the next three years as the Los Angeles Rams' defensive coordinator. There, he worked with another one of the NFL's most decorated defensive tackles - Aaron Donald.

Entering the NFL as the No. 13 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Donald had much higher initial expectations than Jarrett, but his dominance impressed regardless. He retired this offseason, capping off a legendary career in fitting fashion: with another All-Pro nod.

The 32-year-old Donald played 10 seasons in the NFL and made the Pro Bowl in each of them. He earned eight first-team All-Pro selections, including seven in a row from 2015 through 2021. He was the AP Defensive Player of the Year three times - 2017, 2018 and 2020.

Donald was perhaps the most feared defensive player in the league during his time in Los Angeles. Morris had a front-row seat to it all.

And now, with Morris back in Atlanta as the head coach in a full-circle story, he's been oft reminded of Donald - because of Jarrett.

"With Grady and that passion and what he is able to do with just the look in his eyes, it’s really special," Morris said. "With those young guys and being able to train with those guys and talk to those guys last night and be able to address the room and to just be here, his presence is huge.

"It’s really Aaron Donald-like."

Jarrett and Donald have long been mentioned in the same breath due to their size. Jarrett stands 6-0, 305 pounds, while Donald checks in at 6-1, 280 pounds. Neither fits the bill of a prototypical defensive tackle - yet it doesn't affect them.

But for as impactful as both have been on the gridiron, Morris sees more similarities off the field. Donald was a six-time team captain. Jarrett's count currently sits at five with a high likelihood for a sixth in 2024.

The comparisons between Donald and Jarrett rarely mention their leadership. Morris wants to change that - and with no disrespect to Donald.

"We talked about this a lot when we were together and how much respect we have for Grady and how much respect he has for Grady," Morris said. "That presence is really special when you have that in that room."

With Donald now out of the league, Jarrett is carrying the flag for shorter, lighter defensive tackles. He's also in an important leadership role for a young Falcons defensive front, which features three rookie tackles - Ruke Orhorhoro, Brandon Dorlus and Zion Logue.

Beyond the new players around him, there are new coaches. While he knows Morris, Jarrett is in a new scheme under defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and is working with a new defensive line coach in Jay Rodgers.

All the while, Jarrett remains focused on attacking his rehab and delivering the level of play Atlanta has grown to expect from him.

Yet with so many moving parts, Jarrett remains a steady, dependable presence for the Falcons. He's shown it off the field this spring and summer - and he's growing closer each day to being healthy enough to prove it on the field this fall.

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