During every hiring cycle, head coaching candidates will be examined and compared to one another as to why they’re better suited for a particular job.
Experience is always a factor. Whether it’s as a candidate or a former head coach, prospective jobs will depend on a candidate’s journey. Offensive play callers are all the rage in today’s NFL, but they flame out more often than they end up being successful.
Personality and leadership qualities are almost non-negotiables when it comes to hiring a head coach. Those who don’t get along with others rarely work out, and every great head coach is characterized as a great leader.
Obviously, X’s and O’s come into play as well, but sometimes, they take a backseat to other parts of a coach’s candidacy. One overlooked aspect is their ability to be a CEO and make good hires, especially if they aren’t calling plays on one side of the ball.
Raheem Morris checked all of those boxes. He’s regarded as maybe the most likable guy in the league, which will allow him to leverage his relationships to hire the best assistants and recruit the most sought after free agents.
His introductory press conference was a thing of beauty. He radiated a type of energy that made fans believe in him, but he wasn’t in any way a phony. Morris was transparent and direct without sounding like a know-it-all.
It takes two to tango, though. Raheem Morris had to also choose the Falcons as much as the Falcons had to choose Raheem Morris.
The franchise had attractive attributes to offer potential head coaches during the hiring cycle. Beginning with personal life, Atlanta is a great place to live, with tons of attractive suburbs for families between Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Flowery Branch.
Though I have my issues with him, Arthur Blank is a great man to work for. The Falcons owner is a patient one, considering David Tepper exists one state over, and most of all is willing to provide his head coach with whatever resources are needed to win football games.
On the football side of things, the Falcons have a good roster that features loads of young talent. Jessie Bates III, A.J. Terrell, Kyle Pitts, Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Chris Lindstrom are pillars of a talented, yet underachieving roster.
Moreover, the club currently owns the 8th pick, along with an arsenal of other draft capital, to go with $25 million in cap space.
All of this was clearly appealing to Raheem Morris, but one aspect stuck out above the rest — the people. The Falcons new head coach sat down with our friend over at Fox 5, D.J. Shockley, in an exclusive interview, telling the former Georgia Bulldogs and Falcons quarterback that it was the people that made Atlanta feel like the right opportunity.
ONE ON ONE: Our @DjShockley3 got the chance to sit down exclusively with #Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot about what went in to this coaching search.
Lots of great insight here from the two men leading the #DirtyBirds pic.twitter.com/xwK2BDyuqs
— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) February 8, 2024
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Photographer: Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire
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