As the Atlanta Falcons worked their way through an exhaustive coaching search, many wondered what the role of general manager Terry Fontenot would be going forward. Well, the team hired Raheem Morris as head coach on Thursday and it sounds like Fontenot will resume normal GM duties.
Falcons CEO Rich McKay will no longer be involved in football operations and Morris will report directly to Fonetnot, the team announced on Thursday night. Fontenot, who was not a part of the team’s coaching search press conference, praised the Morris hire.
“Raheem is the right fit for our team, culture, and shared vision for success in Atlanta, and I cannot wait to start working with him and have his energy in our building,” said Fontenot on the prospect of working with Morris.
Terry 🤝 Raheem pic.twitter.com/d87u2lDTKL
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 26, 2024
Morris is no stranger to the Falcons organization. He spent six years in Atlanta from 2015-2020 coaching alongside Dan Quinn and Kyle Shanahan before taking over as the interim coach when Quinn was fired in 2020.
The Falcons interviewed Morris for their head coach opening at the end of the 2020 season, but they ultimately went with Arthur Smith. Morris then went to the Los Angeles Rams and served three seasons as the defensive coordinator.
The Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021 with Morris calling the defense and then returned to the playoffs in 2023.
