The proof is in the pudding: the Atlanta Falcons need to part ways with Raheem Morris. During
his first head coaching stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he compiled a 17-31 record from
2009-2011. Over a decade later, little has changed, and in just year one into his second full-time
head coaching stint, he has mismanaged several key aspects of his job to a point where
questions surrounding his job security are justified. Consequently, barring an upset win by the
Saints over the Bucs this week, the Falcons will miss the postseason for a seventh consecutive
year.
Morris’ shortcomings are visible through the team appearing unprepared for games on
numerous occasions, most notably during Atlanta’s blowout losses to the Seahawks and
Broncos and an embarrassing 20-17 loss to the lowly New Orleans Saints, who had lost seven
straight and had just fired their head coach. Any team can win in the NFL on “any given
Sunday,” but when a team looks noticeably unprepared numerous times throughout the season,
it’s an indictment on the coaching staff.
Moreover, Morris has displayed an inability to make decisions that are best for his team when
necessary, even if those decisions may be difficult ones. Whether it be waiting too long to bench
Kirk Cousins, continuing to let Younghoe Koo kick when it was evident that his nagging hip
injury had hindered his ability to do so, or showing a reluctance to give more snaps to younger
defensive players who have shown signs of potential, such as Arnold Ebiketie and Zach
Harrison, Morris has proven that he’s not capable of making the tough decisions. When he does
so, it’s often overdue.
Furthermore, Morris appears to have facilitated a culture in Atlanta that lacks accountability,
including instances where he balks at taking responsibility for his own shortcomings. Consider
what happened on Sunday night against Washington, with the Falcons’ playoff hopes virtually
on the line. After Michael Penix Jr. completed a pass to Darnell Mooney near midfield with
around 30 seconds remaining, Morris committed what is arguably the biggest coaching blunder
the league has seen this year. With two timeouts in his back pocket, Morris did not call one,
allowing nearly 20 seconds to run off the clock before the Falcons ran another play.
Nonetheless, a pass interference call against Washington gave Atlanta a chance to win the
game in regulation with a 56-yard field goal attempt by Riley Patterson. Patterson would miss,
and the Falcons would lose in regulation. The loss has all but ended Atlanta’s playoff hopes,
thanks to Morris’ clock mismanagement towards the end of regulation. After effectively costing
his team a chance at a playoff spot, Morris publicly threw Penix and the rest of the offense
under the bus during his postgame press conference.
When asked about his decision not to call a timeout, Morris stated that while he “probably could
have,” he continued by mentioning that he thought the offense “could get to the line of
scrimmage a little faster.”
If Morris could recognize how difficult it is for an offense to hurry back to the line promptly and
get a play off after a 25-yard gain, then he would not resort to publicly blaming his players,
especially his rookie quarterback, who kept the game alive for Atlanta on their previous drive,
thanks to a touchdown pass on fourth down and a goal to Kyle Pitts. Good head coaches who
are effective leaders accept ownership of their mistakes instead of shifting blame.
When the Falcons decided to move on from Arthur Smith after the 2023 NFL Season, they
looked to bring in somebody who could shift the culture in Atlanta and make the most of a team
capable of reaching the postseason despite its holes on the roster. They had a chance to hire
candidates who had success at previous stops, such as Mike Vrabel. They also could have
hired Ben Johnson, who is considered to be a well-sought-after head coaching candidate for
teams due to his success as offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. Instead, they chose the
candidate with a career .354 win percentage as a head coach.
Raheem Morris has backed up Atlanta’s decision to hire him by overseeing an in-season
collapse after a 6-3 start. The collapse is primarily thanks to Morris and his staff’s shortcomings,
whether due to a lack of in-game adjustments, his team looking unprepared for games on
numerous occasions, or the promotion of a culture where perceived leaders do not take
ownership of their shortcomings. While owner Arthur Blank has never fired a head coach after
just one season, there is little proof that Morris has evolved as a head coach since his first stint
in Tampa. Combine that with the fact that the Falcons have failed to meet preseason
expectations, and there is no incentive for Blank not to keep Morris as the team’s head coach
for next season.