While Raheem Morris’ second stint as Falcons HC is only finishing Year 2, the organization has had much more time to evaluate him due to a lengthy stay the first time around. Morris was on Dan Quinn‘s staff for five years before being tabbed interim HC for much of the 2020 season.
The Falcons are winding down their eighth straight season without a playoff berth, moving Morris onto a hot seat. A report from early December pointed to Atlanta making another HC change, but the team has since won three straight games. The Falcons have beaten the Buccaneers, Cardinals and Rams, but they are still guaranteed to finish with a losing record. This belated resurgence notwithstanding, Morris may not have done enough to save his job, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.
[RELATED: How Will Falcons Proceed With Morris, Terry Fontenot?]
Arthur Blank, who drew considerable scrutiny after backing off his initial Bill Belichick preference to hire Morris, has hired a consulting firm and is evaluating his football operations after the 4-9 start. Blank gave Arthur Smith three seasons — all with 7-10 records — and fired Quinn after a slow start followed two straight playoff absences. A defensive coach who did spend time on the offensive side of the ball during his first Atlanta stint, Morris has overseen a significant pass-rushing improvement this season — as Atlanta’s 53 sacks are second in the NFL — but the bottom line has not moved much.
If Morris is retained, Fowler adds major staff changes would be expected. The team did not see Michael Penix Jr. take a step forward this season. Erratic play preceded the second-year passer’s season-ending injury. Zac Robinson, a coveted OC candidate in 2024, may not reach a third season in Atlanta regardless of Morris’ status. And Fowler adds the Falcons’ special teams issues could lead to a change. Marquice Williams has been in charge of Atlanta’s ST units for the past two seasons.
Morris will have the chance to state his case, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson. The past three games have certainly shown the team has not quit on its HC, but Morris is 36-56 as a coach — counting his Bucs tenure and interim year post-Quinn. The Falcons’ struggles late under Quinn and through Smith’s tenure may not be doing Morris any favors, as he is the one presiding over a playoff drought that only tops the Jets’ 15-season skid among active streaks.
Fontenot’s convoluted quarterback strategy from 2024 has hamstrung Morris, given Kirk Cousins‘ salary as a primary backup, but Cousins’ presence has also ended up helping in a healthier season for the aging QB. Cousins has piloted the Falcons to more wins than Penix did, going 4-3 as a starter. That may be damning at this point, as the primary objective for this season — beyond snapping the playoff drought — was developing the former No. 8 overall pick. Morris’ staff also was seen as a key driver for drafting Penix in 2024.
As a result of all this, Morris is fighting for his job in Week 18. Morris went 8-9 last season and could match that this year; the Falcons were coming off six consecutive seasons with seven wins or less when he was hired. Still, they have been unable to snap their postseason drought despite playing in what has been the NFL’s worst division during this span. A blowout loss to the rival Saints sunk Smith two seasons ago; will Morris be able to survive regardless of this New Orleans result?
Idk anymore. He goes who else we get? A random oc from Ohio State? Smh
Anyone has to be better. Hire Brian Flores and bring in the Browns coach as OC after they fire him. Something.
A lot of reports Vikings not willing to let go Flores
They won’t have a choice if he gets a HC position
Maybe it’s time to trade for a good HC who needs a change of scenery like Harbaugh or Tomlin. Take plan B like Denver did…
Jim Harbaugh, John Harbaugh, and Mike Tomlin will retire before they consider any offer from any other NFL club.
I knew very little about Liam Cohen when he took over the Jags, how do we find someone like that?…There’s no Re-Treads I’m excited about at all this off-season, Jim Harbaugh was the last available re-tread i wanted. Robert Saleh maybe? No to Brian Flores, sounds like the players hated working with him.
Maybe Joe Brady
Yes I thought of that right i commented lol. Joe Brady, Kingsbury, Klint Kubiak?…Kingsbury may not be a bad retread hire, looking like Kyler Murray is a coach killer and not a reflection on him somewhat
Would kingsbury even bite? I feel like he’s happy where he at
I wanted him 2 years ago instead of Morris
Atlanta should hire Gladys Knight or one of the Pips 🙂
Or James Brown as Reverend Cleophaus James ….and Arthur Blank….do you see the light?
I believe the Reverend is in Chicago and would have to leave on the midnight train to Georgia.
he’s very good at wasting his top talent’s prime years
I thought he was born in Atlanta though
Hire Mike McCarthy to help clean up this mess.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have just thrown a spanner in the works. By beating Carolina in a Florida rainstorm, the Bucs made New Orleans-Atlanta the biggest early game of Sunday in Week 18. Falcons win, Bucs take NFC South and NFC #4 seed. Saints win (or even a tie), Panthers take NFC South and NFC #4 seed.
And there is bad blood in that Sunday fixture — two seasons ago the Falcons accused the Saints of running it up in Week 18 by scoring a TD from victory formation.