Falcons request to interview old friend for open head coaching job

The Falcons are sending out the pigeons to potential head coach candidates as they put in requests to interview every corner of the league.

Here are the coaches Atlanta has requested thus far — Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn, Anthony Weaver, Bobby Slowik, Ejiro Evero, Brian Callahan, and Steve Wilks. There’s one name missing, but that’s what this piece is all about.

According to Jeremy Fowler, the Falcons want to interview a familiar face — former Atlanta interim head coach and current Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

How ironic would it be if three years ago Arthur Blank and Rich McKay went with Arthur Smith over Raheem Morris only to hire him after firing Smith?

That’s exactly why I see this as a long shot. I find it hard to believe that Blank and McKay would eat crow and admit they were wrong.

The 47-year-old has spent most of his time in the NFL on the defensive side of the ball but also spent some time on the other side, so he’s well versed on the game. He has been a head coach on two occassions, once in Tampa and the other in Atlanta.

Morris spent three seasons as the Buccaneers head coach from 2009-11 and with the Falcons in 2020 after Dan Quinn was fired, accumulating a 21-38 record. Before coming to Atlanta, he spent time as a secondary coach in Washington. After his time in Atlanta, he went to Los Angeles, helping the Rams to a Super Bowl as their defensive coordinator.

Raheem Morris deserves another crack as a head coach, but I seriously doubt the Falcons hire him because of Blank and McKay’s stubbornness. It has everything to do with the pair admitting the last three years were a waste of time. I don’t see that happening.