Falcons hire Raheem & Zac

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  • January 25, 2024 at 5:50 pm #149011
    zn
    Moderator

    Falcons expected to hire Raheem Morris as new head coach

    https://www.nfl.com/news/falcons-expected-to-hire-raheem-morris-as-new-head-coach

    Raheem Morris is returning to a familiar sideline.

    Morris, the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator over the past three seasons, is expected to be hired as the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Thursday.

    Prior to joining Sean McVay’s Rams staff in 2021, Morris spent the 2020 season with the Falcons as their defensive coordinator and then their interim head coach following the dismissal of Dan Quinn.

    Now, Morris will get a second chance in Atlanta and a second chance as a full-time head coach following a three-year run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-2011.

    The 47-year-old Morris spearheaded the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning defense as its coordinator in the 2021 season. He also has 59 games under his belt as an NFL head coach (17-31 with the Buccaneers; 4-7 with the Falcons).

    As Morris heads to Atlanta, that also confirms Bill Belichick will not be coaching in the NFC South.

    Following the conclusion to his legendary 24-season run with the New England Patriots, Belichick’s first, second and so far only interviews were with the Falcons.

    After interviewing more than a dozen candidates, the Falcons picked Morris, who now returns to the NFC South and will replace Arthur Smith, who was fired following three straight 7-10 seasons.

    Morris, who began his coaching career in 1998 as a graduate assistant at Hofstra, first coached in the NFL during the 2002 season with the Buccaneers as a defensive quality coach. In all, Morris coached nine seasons with the Bucs over two stints. He also coached three seasons in Washington as a secondary assistant under Mike Shanahan and Jay Gruden. Then, Morris traveled to Atlanta to become a member of Quinn’s staff as an assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator in 2015.

    Back in Atlanta, Morris will find a defense that improved drastically in 2023, finishing 11th in total defense after it was 27th in 2022. He will also have a talent-rich offense, led by former first-round picks Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

    However, he will also find a looming quandary at QB as it would seem unlikely that Desmond Ridder or Taylor Heinicke would remain as the franchise’s starting signal-caller.

    Just how the Falcons front office will work with Morris, owner Arthur Blank, Falcons CEO Rich McKay and general manager Terry Fontenot collaborating will also be a prevailing topic.

    Morris is coming off a playoff berth with the Rams, their second in the three seasons during his tenure as DC. Now, Morris will be looking to take the Falcons back to the postseason after a six-season drought.

    January 25, 2024 at 5:59 pm #149013
    canadaram
    Participant

    Good for him. I love the compensatory third rounders.

    January 25, 2024 at 6:02 pm #149014
    zn
    Moderator

    I think they should just officially change the operative term from “off-season” to “hiring Rams coaches month.”

    To simplify and streamline the process of reporting this and make it a more managable issue, sports media should just talk about the Rams coaches who don’t get hired away.

    January 25, 2024 at 6:06 pm #149015
    InvaderRam
    Moderator

    ack. good for him though. i’d rather the rams promote from within if possible.

    January 25, 2024 at 6:19 pm #149020
    zn
    Moderator
    zn wrote:

    I think they should just officially change the operative term from “off-season” to “hiring Rams coaches month.” To simplify and streamline the process of reporting this and make it a more managable issue, sports media should just talk about the Rams coaches who don’t get hired away.

    …

    SeattleRams@seattlerams_nfl
    Don’t sleep on these current coaches landing coordinator roles in this cycle.
    Zac Robinson
    Chris Shula
    Aubrey Pleasant
    Jimmy Lake
    January 25, 2024 at 6:40 pm #149022
    wv
    Participant

    Good for RM, but, damn.

     

    w

    v

    January 25, 2024 at 7:14 pm #149024
    nittany ram
    Moderator

    I wonder who Raheem will take with him?  Will the Rams promote a current coach or look elsewhere?
    Seems like Aubrey Pleasant has paid his dues and should be in line for a coordinator position.

    • This reply was modified 3 months, 1 week ago by nittany ram.
    January 25, 2024 at 7:18 pm #149026
    zn
    Moderator
    Adam Schefter@AdamSchefter
    Rams quarterbacks/pass-game coordinator Zac Robinson will be a prime candidate to become Falcons HC Raheem Morris’ offensive coordinator in Atlanta, per league sources. Morris will want to speak to multiple coaches about his OC job, but Robinson will be a strong candidate.
    January 25, 2024 at 8:25 pm #149033
    InvaderRam
    Moderator
    nittany ram wrote:

    Seems like Aubrey Pleasant has paid his dues and should be in line for a coordinator position.

     

    i’m hoping he gets a promotion. great reputation. knows the system and knows the players so there’s continuity.

    January 26, 2024 at 4:57 pm #149058
    wv
    Participant

    January 27, 2024 at 9:46 pm #149082
    zn
    Moderator

    January 27, 2024 at 11:13 pm #149084
    zn
    Moderator
    Albert Breer@AlbertBreer
    New Falcons OC Zac Robinson interviewed a bunch of places. But he did it knowing that if Raheem Morris got an HC job, he was going with his buddy/Rams staffmate. So Atlanta it is.

    …

    Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson leaving for Atlanta Falcons

    GARY KLEIN

    https://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/story/2024-01-27/rams-offensive-coordinator-zac-robinson-atlanta-falcons

    Rams coach Sean McVay has another spot to fill on his coaching staff.

    Zac Robinson, the Rams’ quarterbacks coach, will become offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly said.

    The people requested anonymity because Robinson’s hiring has not been announced by the Falcons.

    Robinson, 37, coached for the Rams for four seasons and will be reunited with Raheem Morris, the former Rams defensive coordinator who was hired as the Falcons’ head coach this week.

    Robinson was the assistant quarterbacks coach in 2019, when Jared Goff was the Rams’ starter. In 2022, he succeeded Kevin O’Connell as quarterbacks coach and has worked with Matthew Stafford the last two seasons.

    Stafford rebounded from a season-ending injury in 2022, played through hip and thumb injuries this season and led the Rams to the playoffs.

    January 28, 2024 at 12:18 am #149085
    InvaderRam
    Moderator

    i’m not sure how i feel about this.

    January 28, 2024 at 1:53 am #149087
    zn
    Moderator
    InvaderRam wrote:

    i’m not sure how i feel about this.

    With just one exception, the McVay Rams lose their qb coaches every year.

    Rams qb coaches under McV:

    2017: Greg Olson. A great old veteran coach who had been with the Rams before (2006). Went to the Raiders, is now the qb coach with Seattle. 

    2018: Zac Taylor. Became a head coach.

    2019: Shane Waldron. Went to Seattle as OC, now with the Bears.

    2020: Liam Coen, who was an assistant qb coach (they did not have an official qb coach). Went to Kentucky, came back to the Rams, went back to Kentucky.

    2021: Kevin O’Connell. Became a head coach.

    2022-23: Zac Robinson. 

    So Robinson broke all Rams records for a qb coach under McVay by being in that position for 2 years.

    January 28, 2024 at 1:18 pm #149090
    wv
    Participant

    Its interesting that McVay loses so many coaches.   I wonder if any other coaches have to replace as many assistants annually.   Andy Reid?  Belichick?  Harbaugh?   Shanahan?

    w

    v

    January 28, 2024 at 2:02 pm #149091
    zn
    Moderator
    wv wrote:

    Its interesting that McVay loses so many coaches.   I wonder if any other coaches have to replace as many assistants annually.   Andy Reid?  Belichick?  Harbaugh?   Shanahan? w v

    Part of it is that McV likes young, tuned-in, “I’m part of what’s new and hip” style offensive coaches. And as it happens, at the exact same time, that became a holy grail in the league. So…the league goes, why research coaches? McVay already did that for us. (But then you wonder why Mike LaFleur didn’t get any bites as a head coach.) Anyway. The position that sells for the Rams is qb coach. So far that has produced 2 coordinators and 2 head coaches in the last 7 years. (Olson is 61 and has been around, he’s not like the others).

    January 28, 2024 at 2:08 pm #149092
    zn
    Moderator

    BTW the Rams list Andy Benoit as an on-the-staff “football analyst.” Here, under “staff”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Los_Angeles_Rams_season#Staff

     

    January 28, 2024 at 2:31 pm #149093
    wv
    Participant
    zn wrote:
    wv wrote:

    Its interesting that McVay loses so many coaches. I wonder if any other coaches have to replace as many assistants annually. Andy Reid? Belichick? Harbaugh? Shanahan? w v

    Part of it is that McV likes young, tuned-in, “I’m part of what’s new and hip” style offensive coaches. And as it happens, at the exact same time, that became a holy grail in the league. So…the league goes, why research coaches? McVay already did that for us. (But then you wonder why Mike LaFleur didn’t get any bites as a head coach.) Anyway. The position that sells for the Rams is qb coach. So far that has produced 2 coordinators and 2 head coaches in the last 7 years. (Olson is 61 and has been around, he’s not like the others).

    I would make a lousy assistant-coach-picker-outer.   I mean, i can just picture myself putting together a complete mish-mash of coaches.   A Defensive guy from the Belichex tree, a bit of Andy Reid here, and Harbaugh there.  A dash of Shanahan.   Maybe a special teams coach from the Bud Grant tree.

     

    w

    v

    February 5, 2024 at 11:05 pm #149236
    zn
    Moderator

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