Raheem Morris named Atlanta Falcons interim head coach
The 2020 National Football League season hasn’t exactly gone according to plan for the Atlanta Falcons. The club currently find themselves winless after the first five games of the campaign. They have frustrated fans, finding ways to blow multiple leads late in the fourth quarter.
On Sunday, the team decided that it was time to act as they fired head coach Dan Quinn following a 23-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Quinn was named the head coach of the Falcons back in February 2015 and spent five and a half seasons with the organization before being let go. He has an overall record of 46-44 during his time in Atlanta, leading the Falcons to the Super Bowl in 2016 where they ultimately lost to the New England Patriots in a heartbreaking overtime loss.
While the Falcons did not immediately name a replacement for Quinn, they knew they did not have much time to search considering the team takes on the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday. Atlanta announced on Monday morning that they have decided to promote defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to interim head coach as the team continues to try and turn their season around.
Morris has already spent three years as a head coach in the league with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-2011. He was relieved of his duties in Tampa Bay following a disastrous 4-12 season. He also spent time with Washington before arriving to Atlanta since then. He has had never gotten another head coaching shot until now though.
His experience was a big reason the Falcons felt comfortable enough to hand him the reigns during such a turbulent campaign. He has been with the organization since 2015 when he was initially hired as an assistant head coach and a defensive backs coach.
“Raheem is a strong leader and a talented coach that has adapted to a variety of roles since joining the Falcons in 2015,” said Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay in a statement. “He has experience as a head coach and has worked on both sides of the ball. We felt that combined with his connection to the players and coaching staff, which will be an important factor as we move forward in 2020, he was the right person to give this responsibility to.”
Morris has one Super Bowl ring to his name, winning during his first stint in Tampa Bay as their defensive quality control coach in 2002. They had the top-ranked defense in the league.
Time is running out though for the Falcons to salvage their season as they sit at the bottom of the NFC South, three games behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in top spot. Atlanta hasn’t made the postseason since 2017 and are on the verge of missing out for the third consecutive season. The franchise has never won a Super Bowl and are hoping that Morris will be able to lead them back to winning ways. They have yet to commit to him as the long-term head coach, but he will certainly get the opportunity to prove he is the right man for the job.
