Did the Atlanta Falcons’ search for a new coach take a big hit from the Green Bay Packers on Sunday?
Ever since the Packers took a quick and commanding 27-0 lead on the Dallas Cowboys in the second quarter, there have been rumors that the latter could be a potential new destination for former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
Despite three straight playoff appearances and a 12-win season under coach Mike McCarthy, the current mood in Dallas suggests 81-year-old owner Jerry Jones is considering a coaching change. If the latest rumor turns out to be true, the Cowboys could join the Falcons in making a “big move” to land Belichick.
So the Falcons have their sights set on the six-time Super Bowl champion, but have a backup option in case he goes down and misses, NBC’s Mike Florio reports.
“And if Belichick ends up not being in play in Atlanta, keep an eye on Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris,” Florio said Sunday on NBC’s “Football Night in America”. “… We could see him emerge as the new favorite to become the next of the Falcons.”
Morris is not a new name or personality in Atlanta, as he played in four different roles with the Falcons before taking on his current role as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams.
The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach joined then-Falcons coach Dan Quinn’s staff as passing game coordinator in 2015 before coaching receivers and becoming defensive coordinator. Quinn then served as interim coach after the offseason.
Although Morris’ attempts to become a head coach in the NFL were unsuccessful, the Buccaneers had just one winning season during his three-year tenure, and his efforts on the Rams’ defense made him a big name in the NFL. The coaching circle.
Morris’s first season with the Rams saw him help L.A. win the franchise’s second-ever Lombardi Trophy as he coordinated a defense that was the league’s No. 1 run defense, allowing just 60.2 yards per game while also boasting the No. 3 passing defense, which allowed 222 yards.
But his most impressive work came with the Rams this season. Even after a season in which Rams general manager Les Snead began an “enrollment review” and fired many of his star players in addition to Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald, Morris’ unit managed to remain employed. Although he is very young.
With the season ending with the Rams’ 24-23 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Morris can now focus on finding a second chance at being an NFL head coach.
