Falcons name Raheem Morris 19th head coach in franchise history

After interviewing 14 different candidates, the Atlanta Falcons have officially hired Raheem Morris as head coach, the team announced on Thursday evening.

Morris spent three years as the defensive coordinator of Los Angeles Rams after spending six years in various roles for the Falcons as a member of Dan Quinn’s coaching staff. Morris stepped in as interim head coach when Quinn was fired in 2020 and was considered for the job before the team settled on Arthur Smith in 2021.

Team owner Arthur Blank released a statement after Morris was hired on Thursday night:

This a historic day for the Atlanta Falcons – after a comprehensive search we are thrilled to welcome Raheem Morris back to Atlanta as the team’s new head coach,” Blank said. “With 26 years of experience in the NFL, including the last three in an outstanding organization that has won our league’s championship in that time, Raheem emerged from a field of excellent candidates and is the right leader to take our team into the future.

His time in LA has given him an enhanced perspective on everything from personnel, team operations, game planning, working with an outstanding offensive staff and many other things that has helped him develop into an even more prepared coach in all aspects of the game. I believe his leadership skills have grown and his understanding of what it takes to have a highly collaborative one-team culture are now at a much higher level. — Falcons owner Arthur Blank 

Morris, 47, has coached on both sides of the ball and was one of a handful of candidates to receive multiple interviews from the Falcons. The team fired head coach Arthur Smith after Atlanta’s ugly loss to the Saints in the 2023 season finale.

• Falcons fans react to Morris hire
• 20 QB options for ATL in 2024
• Fans react to Harbaugh-to-LA
• Arthur Smith gets OC interest
• 21 Falcons set to hit free agency