Falcons to Hire Rams Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris As Head Coach

Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has been one of the hottest names on the market for open head coaching positions. And now, he is on his way to the Atlanta Falcons.

Matt Galatzan | Jan 25, 2024

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Los Angeles Rams

NFL coaching search season is now in full swing, with multiple jobs across the NFL opening over the last few days, most recently including the New England Patriots, who just parted ways with Bill Belichick.

And with so many jobs now open, it comes as no surprise that Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris was at the forefront of discussions as a potential candidate across the league.

Now, after multiple interviews, that saga has come to a close, with the Atlanta Falcons set to hire Morris as their new head coach.

Raheem Morris Falcons — Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Falcons recently fired their previous head coach Arthur Smith after three seasons with the team.

And while other openings like the Panthers, Chargers and Commanders were certainly intriguing options, his previous connection to the franchise was ultimately a deciding factor.

Morris was with the Falcons from 2015-2019 as the assistant head coach and passing game coordinator, before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2020. After the Falcons fired head coach Dan Quinn that season, Morris then took over as the interim head coach, leading the Falcons to a 4-7 record after Quinn started 0-5.

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The Hofstra graduate was also the head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011, and the interim head coach in Atlanta in 2020 following the firing of Dan Quinn.

While leading the Buccaneers, Morris went 17-31 and in 11 games. Overall, Morris has posted a 21-38 record in the league with no division wins.

In 2023, Morris led the Los Angeles Rams defense to No. 19, allowing 340.3 yards per game, the No. 24 passing defense allowing 234.6 yards through the air per contest, and the No. 12 rushing defense allowing an average of 105.7 ground yards per game.

The Rams finished No. 24 in scoring defense, allowing 22.3 points per game on average.

Published Jan 25, 2024

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan the Editor-In-Chief of RamDigest.com. Galatzan graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry under Mike Fisher at DallasBasketball.com in 2014, which at the time was part of the 247Sports network. He also spent two years covering the SMU Mustangs for PonyStampede.com on the 247Sports network. When DallasBasketball.com and CowboysCountry.com moved over to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, Galatzan followed suit, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com and AllAggies.com a year later. Through the years, Galatzan has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, former Longhorns players Dan Neil and Phil Dawson, and many other recruits, and current/former players for each of the teams he has covered. Galatzan is also a full-time employee in the digital media department for Audacy and KRLD FM's 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, which is the official radio home of the Dallas Cowboys. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels. For any inquiries, please email matt.galatzan@gmail.com