The Atlanta Falcons have announced Raheem Morris as the franchise’s next head coach, leaving the legendary Bill Belichick in limbo for the 2024 season.
After six Super Bowls and 23 seasons together dating back to 2000, Belichick and the New England Patriots parted ways soon after the end of the regular season, with Belichick signalling his desire to keep coaching.
The Falcons appeared the favourites to hire Belichick after conducting two interviews with him early in the process. Some bookmakers even had him as short as $1.50 to be Atlanta’s next coach.
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However, even after the two interviews with Belichick, Atlanta pressed on with their search and spoke to up to 14 candidates for the job before offering it to Morris, who was the defensive co-ordinator of the Rams from 2021-2023.
“The Rams were fully backing Raheem Morris as they believe his time has come… They were fully supportive and they all made it possible, what the Rams did and what Raheem said,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said.
So what now for Belichick?
It’s hard to be certain of what his intentions are for this season and whether he’s desperate to find a head coaching job so soon after leaving the Patriots.
The fact he had two interviews with Atlanta indicates he was keen to be a head coach in 2024 but they have been the only team he’s spoken to so far.
Six of the eight head coaching vacancies are now filled, leaving Washington and Seattle as the only two teams yet to hire anyone, but unless something drastic happens in the next couple of days, it doesn’t seem likely Belichick will be heading to either of those two franchises as he’s yet to meet with them.
If he has, it’s not known publicly.
The news of Morris’ hire has forced many to wonder whether Belichick’s days as a head coach in the NFL are numbered, or at the very least, he’s without a team next season.
It’s speculative, but what may be dissauding teams to hire or even interview Belichick is that he’d likely request more power at his new team than what a head coach usually commands.
Belichick was essentially the general manager throughout his time in New England, with owner Robert Kraft preferring to take a hands off approach and let his coach not only lead the team on game days but be responsible for handling trades and player transaction, oversee the scouting department and deal with some contract negotiations.
While it worked in New England, many believed the Patriots downfall towards the end of his tenure could be attributed to Belichick not willing to give up some control to a full time general manager.
For Morris, this opportunity with the Falcons to give him the chance to atone for a disappointing three year tenure as the Tampa Bay coach from 2009-2011.
The Buccaneers went 17-31 in those three seasons, before Morris was fired when Tampa Bay decided to clean house.
He has since found himself in head coaching purgatory, but worked back up to a genuine candidate for a top job after some impressive stints as defensive co-ordinator, which included a Super Bowl with the Rams two seasons ago.
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