The Falcons hired Raheem Morris over Bill Belichick and NFL Twitter was split between laughter and intrigue.
The Atlanta Falcons shocked the NFL world on Thursday when they decided to hire Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as their new head coach.
The Falcons had conducted multiple interviews with former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. It seemed like an obvious move for Arthur Blank to snatch up the Super Bowl winner while he had the chance.
Instead, Blank went with the former Buccaneers head coach who had spent much of the 2020 season as the interim head coach in Atlanta.
Former Rams defensive back Jalen Ramsey gave his stamp of approval on Morris.
However, as much as Ramsey believes in Morris, Falcons fans were more split on the decision.
Hiring Raheem Morris isn't so shocking considering his connections to Atlanta. It's hiring Raheem Morris over Bill Belichick that's the surprise.
It's not all bad for Belichick. Not going to Atlanta has its merits.
And who knows, another opportunity could certainly arise for the head coach after a year of relaxation...
Belichick's future is now cloudy. He had multiple interviews with Atlanta but hasn't been linked to any other head coaching job. The only two currently open are the Commanders and Seahawks. Neither has been suggested as a landing spot for Belichick.
This is Morris' second chance as a permanent head coach. he spent three seasons with the Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011. While he went 10-6 in his second year, that was only good enough for third in the NFC South. He finished last in 2009 with a 3-13 record. He went 4-12, losing 10 games in a row to end the 2011 season. That was enough to get him fired.
In 2020, the firing of Dan Quinn after an 0-5 start pushed Morris into an interim role. He went 4-7 and finished fourth in the division.
The Falcons have made their choice, betting on Morris over Belichick. Will it pay off? Only time will tell.