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Raheem Morris is back in the NFC South.
As first reported by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero on Thursday, the Atlanta Falcons are expected to hire Morris as their next head coach. The 47-year-old was one of three candidates to receive a second interview for the Carolina Panthers’ vacancy—along with the team’s defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and their eventual pick Dave Canales.
Morris has spent 20 years on the NFL sidelines. His start came in 2002 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—where he served as a defensive quality control coach, defensive assistant, assistant defensive backs coach, defensive backs coach and, eventually, head coach.
Tampa Bay went 17-31 under Morris over three seasons. His best campaign came in 2010, when he led the Bucs to a 10-6 mark.
After he was fired following the 2012 season, Morris landed in Washington as a defensive backs coach for three years and then in Atlanta for six more. His sixth season with the Falcons ended in an 11-game stint as the interim head coach, a run that resulted in a 4-7 record.
Since 2021, Morris has coached under Sean McVay as the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator.
Oh, and Atlanta’s choice may help out the Panthers—who probably hope to retain Evero. Evero also received multiple interviews from the Falcons.