Despite two interviews with the Falcons, Bill Belichick did not get the vacant head coaching position in Atlanta.
On Friday, the Georgia club announced that it had hired Raheem Morris as a pilot.
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It's a return to the Falcons for the 47-year-old, as he served as the team's interim head coach for the final 11 games of the 2020 season. He held several positions with the organization between 2015 and 2020.
He then served as the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams (2021 to 2023). Morris was also head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009 to 2011).
“I am excited about the opportunity for my family and I to return to Atlanta as head coach of the Falcons,” Morris said in a statement. We know firsthand what a world-class organization Atlanta is and what this team means to the city and its fans.”
The Falcons showed Arthur Smith the exit door at the end of last regular season. Atlanta went 7-10 in 2023 and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.
Back to Belichick: The 71-year-old and the New England Patriots recently ended their successful collaboration, during which the team won the Vince Lombardi Trophy six times in 24 years.
The Falcons were the only NFL team without a head coach to reach out to Belichick. With the signing of Morris, only two clubs remain without a driver: the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Commanders.