Bill Belichick may be the best coach in NFL history, but he apparently isn’t good enough for any of the seven teams that needed a head coach this offseason. The Falcons’ exhaustive head coaching search eded with Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris filling the vacancy in Atlanta, the team announced Thursday.
And that was the only job the former Patriots coach was known to have interviewed for. Belichick actually interviewed twice and was considered an early front-runner to lead the Falcons, who interviewed 15 candidates.
Only the Seahawks and Commanders have openings left after the Panthers snapped up Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales earlier Thursday.
While Morris gets another chance at helming a team, Belichick mysteriously remains unemployed following his split with the Patriots after 24 seasons, and the 71-year-old now seemingly likely will have to sit out the 2024 season as he chases Don Shula’s all-time wins record of 328. Belichick has 302 wins, but his New England team faltered to a 4-13 mark last season, the worst of his career.
The Falcons also interviewed ex-Titans head coach Mike Vrabel; former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh; Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan; then Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce; Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero; Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn; Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson; Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik; Ravens assistant Anthony Weaver; Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald; Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady; ex-Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
The team fired Arthur Smith after three straight 7-10 seasons. Morris, 47, was the Falcons’ interim head coach in 2020, posting a 4-7-0 mark after taking over for Dan Quinn before joining the Rams, leading one of the NFL’s best defenses with Los Angeles.
Morris, hired at the age of 32, led the Buccaneers to a 17-31-0 record over three seasons as their head coach from 2009-11.
A Newark native, Morris got his start as an assistant coach at Hoftstra, where he played safety from 1994-97, and moved to the NFL with the Bucs in 2002 as a defensive quality coach.
The Pride alum also coached for three seasons in Washington under Mike Shanahan and Jay Gruden before his first stint with the Falcons and spent time as Kansas State’s defensive coordinator in 2006.
Now, Morris will get an Atlanta team that jumped from 27th in total defense in 2022 to 11th last season and hopes to end a six-season playoff drought.
He also inherits an offense stacked with young talent at running back, wide receiver and tight end in, respectively, Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts.
His biggest task will be finding a solution at quarterback, where the Falcons went back and forth between Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinecke last season, with neither proving to be a viable long-term option.
“I am overjoyed for the opportunity for my family and I to return to Atlanta as the Falcons head coach,” Morris said in a statement. “We know from firsthand experience what a first-class organization Atlanta is and what this team means to its city and its fans. I am incredibly appreciative of Arthur Blank for his leadership and for this entire organization for putting its trust in me to help lead this team.
“I can’t thank the Rams organization enough for the experience and opportunity with the team. From the Kroenke family, Kevin Demoff, Les Snead, Sean McVay and the entire staff, the Rams are a first-class organization all around. We loved our time in L.A., loved the fans and know the Rams continue to have a very bright future.”