When Raheem Morris was hired, it was met with polarizing opinions, but I think most Falcons fans were excited because Morris exuded confidence. More importantly, Atlanta fans hoped he was the right guy.
There were detractors, though. Those who believed it wasn’t the right hire noted Morris’ first stint as a head coach and his overall lack of effectiveness as a coordinator. With the Buccaneers, Morris accumulated a 17-31 record over three seasons before eventually being fired. With the Rams as a defensive coordinator, Morris oversaw an average unit that had elite talent.
It was a homecoming of sorts in Atlanta, though. Maybe Falcons fans were convinced by his dazzling smile and tailormade three piece suits, but through 16 games in 2024, it’s evident that Morris isn’t quite head coach material.
He’s got the enthusiasm, but everything else was middling at best. The coordinator hires underwhelmed. The Falcons didn’t get off the bus on a few occasions. Morris also didn’t have many shining in-game moments and continually touted Kirk Cousins before eventually benching him, which preceded a report that those within the organization don’t believe Cousins is an NFL quarterback anymore.
There just haven’t been many redeeming qualities other than his smile and suits. Typically, I’d be willing to give a first-time head coach a long leash because there’s a tremendous increase in responsibilities going from a coordinator to a head coach. The learning curve isn’t something to take lightly, especially if that head coach is also a play caller.
That isn’t the case with Raheem Morris. He’s not a first-time head coach. He spent three seasons with Tampa Bay and more than half of a season as an interim head coach with Atlanta after Dan Quinn’s firing. He’s not calling plays, and he’s still doing things like not calling a timeout at the end of a game.
I’m all for multiple chances, but I’m confused about what Falcons fans have seen from Raheem Morris that makes them believe he’s the guy to lead this team to a Super Bowl. One-and-dones are rare, and they’re even rarer for a coach who will likely finish with a winning record, but we have four seasons’ worth of evidence that shows Morris isn’t the guy.
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Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire
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