Although six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick was among the candidates considered for the role, the Atlanta Falcons have hired Raheem Morris as their new head coach; Morris will replace Arthur Smith after another 7-10 finish to the Falcons' season
Friday 26 January 2024 07:44, UK
The Atlanta Falcons have confirmed Raheem Morris as their new head coach, despite Bill Belichick links.
Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Morris will replace Arthur Smith, who was dismissed after three seasons, in each of which the Falcons finished with a 7-10 record.
"This is a historic day for the Atlanta Falcons," owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. "Raheem emerged from a field of excellent candidates and is the right leader to take our team into the future."
Other candidates interviewed for the role as well as Morris included Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who is considered one of the league's top coaching prospects after he oversaw the development of CJ Stroud, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, and Belichick.
Six-time Super Bowl winner Belichick parted ways with the New England Patriots after a tenure of more than two decades.
Belichick, 71, has won more Super Bowl titles than any other coach and his 333 wins, including playoffs, leave him just 14 shy of Don Shula's record.
Belichick was viewed as a favourite for this job once he was given a second interview. His next move is now unclear. Neither the Washington Commanders nor the Seattle Seahawks, the only teams left that still have head coach vacancies to fill, have interviewed Belichick.
For Morris, who has also been the head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it is a return to Atlanta.
He worked for the franchise between 2015 and 2020. He started out as the pass game coordinator, adding wide receivers coach to his job duties in 2016.
He was promoted to defensive coordinator ahead of the 2020 season and for the final 11 games of the 2020 season was their interim coach when he took over from Dan Quinn.
