Who will be the next Atlanta Falcons head coach? That is the question that will be on everyone’s mind until the position is finally filled.
Currently, Raheem Morris has stepped in and while Arthur Blank has joked about considering him as the next head coach is he goes 11-0, things are actually getting a little more serious between Morris and making his temporary role permanent.
Why Morris Is In The Running
NFL Insider Albert Breer gave a solid, updated, case as to why Morris is now in the running for the Atlanta Falcons’ head coaching position:
Morris has put himself on a very real track to being a serious candidate for the job. The Falcons are 4–2 on his watch, and a Todd Gurley brain freeze from being 5–1. And while the playoffs are still unlikely (Atlanta is two games out of the last NFC spot with five games left), the fact that .500 is in sight is pretty remarkable based on where they are. What’s more, the team has responded to some of Morris’s adjustments aimed at getting the group back on track. One was to strip down and simplify the messaging from the coaches to the players; explaining in black-and-white each week what the team needs to win, how it can force its will on the opponent and what each individual’s job will be; while emphasizing turnovers and scoring plays in each phase of the game. Some of that might seem a little cliché. But it’s working. And thus Morris—who many saw as getting close to earning a second shot at being a head coach before the season began—is working his way back into the mix in the 2021 coaching carousel, and into the running to keep the job he’s been doing for the last two months.
Whatever Morris is doing, it seems to be working, however, he still has a lot to prove–starting on Sunday against the Saints again.
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As Packers OC Is Also Connected to Falcons Coaching Job
According to sources with more knowledge on the Falcons search for head coach, Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is someone reportedly someone they’re interested in interviewing.
40-year-old Hackett is on his second year with the Packers and has had a lot of success under his belt, which is why it makes sense the Falcons are interested in him.
The source also said Hackett’s name has come up several times inside the Falcons’ front office on whom to interview during the hiring process.
Under Hackett, the Packers’ passing game is thriving this season and Aaron Rodgers is playing at an MVP level.
The sources have also said that Hackett would fit in well since he already has ties to several of president Rich McKay’s hirings who are still on the Falcons’ staff.
Hackett made his way into the NFL as Tampa Bay’s quality control coach in 2006. His father, Paul Hackett, also worked on Jon Gruden’s staff in Tampa. Rich Mckay was a key part of the Buccaneers’ front office at the time, who happened to trade Gruden from the Raiders.
After his time in Florida, Hackett became one of the youngest coordinators in the NFL, running the Bills’ offense under Doug Marrone in 2013. He also worked on Marrone’s staff with the Jaguars from 2015-18, before making his way to the Packers to coach under Matt LaFleur.
The Falcons will take their time filling the head coaching position, but these are two names reportedly on the candidate list this far.
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NFL Insider Gives Surprising Update on Falcons Coaching Search