ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons interviewed Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Saturday for their head coaching vacancy.
Morris, a former Atlanta assistant, is a familiar addition to the team’s list of candidates.
The virtual interviews with Morris and Brady came one day after former longtime New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick completed his second interview with the Falcons.
The Falcons also met virtually with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn on Friday and were expected to meet with that team’s offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, this weekend as well. The Lions, who beat the Rams last weekend for their first victory in the NFL playoffs since 1991, host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon in an NFC divisional-round matchup.
Before his three seasons with the Rams, Morris served in a variety of roles with Atlanta from 2015-2020, including the final 11 games of the 2020 season as interim head coach. He posted a 4-7 record in charge.
Morris was also 17-31 as Tampa Bay’s head coach from 2009-11.
During his time in Atlanta, Morris held assistant positions on offense and defense. He served as assistant head coach while coaching wide receivers and the secondary, and he was the defensive coordinator in 2020.
The long history with Atlanta made Morris an obvious candidate after Arthur Smith was fired earlier this month after three seasons leading the Falcons, each with a 7-10 record.
Brady, the Bills’ quarterbacks coach since 2022, was promoted to interim offensive coordinator during the current season and has helped Buffalo reach the AFC’s divisional round and a home game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night. He was the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator from 2020-21 after stints as an offensive assistant at LSU in 2019, when the 15-0 Tigers were college football national champions, and with the New Orleans Saints in 2017-18.
Atlanta has interviewed 11 candidates.
Belichick’s second interview supported reports that he was Atlanta’s top choice. His six Super Bowl titles are more than any other coach, but he is coming off a career-worst 4-13 season that led to the 71-year-old and the Patriots recently parting ways.
Belichick’s conversations with Falcons owner Arthur Blank likely included New England’s quarterback woes as the coach struggled to replace Tom Brady, who won a seventh Super Bowl title the season after leaving New England for Tampa Bay. Mac Jones, a first-round draft pick in 2021, was benched this season and Bailey Zappe struggled as well.
The Falcons have endured similar struggles after Matt Ryan’s long run at quarterback. This season, Smith switched between second-year pro Desmond Ridder and journeyman Taylor Heinicke, but neither made a case to be the long-term answer behind center in Atlanta.
After Brady’s departure after the 2019 season, the Patriots had only one winning record in four seasons — a one-and-done playoff appearance in 2021 — while posting a record of 29-38. In that same span, the Falcons’ record was 25-42 in the final four years of six consecutive losing seasons.
The Falcons also have interviewed University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who led the Wolverines to the national championship this year, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Ravens assistant head coach and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.