26 January 2024 , 02:00
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Legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick is running out of coaching options for next season. The Atlanta Falcons, who were considering him for their head coach position, have now decided to go in a different direction.
Instead of Belichick, the Falcons are set to hire Raheem Morris as their next head coach. Morris has a personal history with the Falcons that may have helped his case. Before the 2020 NFL season, Atlanta promoted him to defensive coordinator and then interim head coach, letting go of Dan Quinn amid an 0-5 start.
Morris led the team to four wins and a 4-7 record overall during his time as the head coach. Since 2021, Morris has been the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, helping Sean McVay instill a program that helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals.
As a whole, Morris has a 21-38 record as a head coach - from his time with the Falcons, and with Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011 (17-31). He will be looking to prove himself in his second stint with Atlanta.
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The Rams will receive compensatory draft picks in 2024 and 2025 as a result of Morris leaving Los Angeles. For Belichick, the Falcons' hiring of Morris is a massive blow to his desire to coach in the NFL in 2024.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL reports that out of all the teams needing a new head coach after the 2023 season, only the Falcons interviewed Belichick. No other interviews are planned with other teams, which is quite different from what was initially reported about Atlanta and Belichick.
At first, it seemed like the 71-year-old was set to become the Falcons' next head coach. But a disagreement between Atlanta's front office and owner Arthur Blank led to a change of plans, moving away from hiring the eight-time Super Bowl champion.
Raheem Morris is set to be the Atlanta Falcons' next head coach (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)Belichick reportedly wants to coach a team outside of any major markets, after his 24-year stint with the New England Patriots. Now, with Morris heading to Atlanta, the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Commanders are the only two teams still in need of a head coach.
The Seahawks and Commanders are reportedly not rushing to hire any head coaches yet, possibly waiting until after the NFL's conference championship games to decide. If Belichick doesn't fancy the vacancies at the Seahawks and the Commanders, he might choose to take a break for the 2024 season and see what other opportunities arise.
However, if he chooses to skip the next season, he'll be 72 when the 2025 season kicks off, which could make his position in the NFL more complex. With the way things are going, Belichick is running out of options, particularly if he wants to keep coaching in the NFL.
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