The Atlanta Falcons have called the play. Setting the stage for Raheem Morris's formal introduction as the new head coach yesterday, February 5, at 2 p.m. ET, just over two weeks since the team announced his takeover, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
After summarily dismissing Arthur Smith following the close of the 2023-2024 season, the Falcons are looking to the former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator, and Morris isn't new to Atlanta having inked his name in the team annals from 2015 to 2020 including a shot as the interim head coach, making history as the first Black head coach for the franchise, the team waited for Morris to finalize his coaching staff before putting him in front of the media.
On the personnel front, Morris hasn't wasted any time; since landing the top job in late January, he's been drafting a diverse playbook of coaches to his side: from invoicing Kevin Koger, erstwhile Los Angeles Chargers assistant, as tight ends coach to enlisting Chandler Whitmer as passing game specialist, formerly from the Chargers as well, as reported by the Associated Press.
Morris has also handpicked Nick Jones, coming from a defensive stance with the Rams, to boost the offensive line similar move for Barrett Ruud who'll steer the inside linebackers team after leaving Nebraska, they join incumbents like Steven King who's clutching his special teams assistant spot; the calculated rejigging aims to underpin a season more successful than the last where Atlanta's gridiron aspirations were subjected, once again, to the mercy of the cutting room floor.
While Morris and his freshly minted contingency of coaching innovations are poised to set their game faces at the upcoming press conference, Falcons fans are aligning their hopes with the team's executive maneuver – eager to scrutinize if the new coaching collage can deliver a playbook rewriting Atlanta's future fortunes.
