Atlanta wraps up second interview with Raheem Morris

The Atlanta Falcons have yet to ink their head coach as the NFL offseason draws nearer. However, there is one candidate who just wrapped up their second interview. According to their social media account, Atlanta has just finished their second interview with the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator, Raheem Morris.

Morris is the second possible head coaching candidate who has conducted more than one interview with the Falcons. The other is the former head coach of the New England Patriots and future Hall of Famer Bill Belichick. Plenty of individuals covering the Atlanta coaching situation believe that Belichick to Atlanta was just waiting on a signature between both parties. However, recently, news broke that the former Patriots head coach and the Falcons union has become bogged down, creating an opening for a potential hiring of Morris.

Morris’ initial interview with Atlanta was over the weekend on Saturday, Jan. 20. Falcons owner Arthur Blank and their GM Terry Fontenot must have liked what they saw and heard in the initial interview, prompting a second one three days later.

Morris has been the Rams’ defensive coordinator since 2021, helping lead the franchise to a Super Bowl berth and victory in 2022 for Super Bowl LVI. But Morris is quite familiar with Blank and the Falcons as from 2015 to 2020, he held multiple positions for Atlanta.

Atlanta looking to possibly swipe rivals DC

Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is a very popular name in the NFL head coaching market so far this offseason.

Despite a rough year for Carolina as a whole, Evero’s defensive unit arguably performed better than expectations, especially with a disastrous offensive operation for much of rookie QB Bryce Young’s first season. So, when the Panthers evaluated potential options for their new head coach in 2024, Evero was at the top of the list.

Carolina already interviewed him once, but so did several other teams, including the Seahawks and Falcons. According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Carolina and Atlanta are arranging a second interview with Evero — along with Seattle, who had already requested to speak with the Panther coordinator a second time.

Here was Pelissero’s report of Evero’s second interviews, which he posted to Twitter Monday morning:

“The Panthers plan to conduct a second interview Monday with DC Ejiro Evero for their head coaching job, per source. So Evero — whose undermanned defense was a bright spot this year — is getting a longer look with both Carolina and Seattle.”

He added the Atlanta news in a follow-up:

“And another one: The Falcons requested a second interview with Ejiro Evero for their head coaching job, per source.”

With three second interviews potentially coming, it seems fairly likely that Evero will land somewhere as a head coach for the 2024 season.