ATLANTA —
After firing head coach Dan Quinn yesterday, the Atlanta Falcons have named their interim head coach. Raheem Morris will lead the team.
Morris, currently the team's defensive coordinator, was previously the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach from 2009-2011.
“Raheem is a strong leader and a talented coach that has adapted to a variety of roles since joining the Falcons in 2015,” said Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay said in a release.
“He has experience as a head coach and has worked on both sides of the ball. We felt that combined with his connection to the players and coaching staff, which will be an important factor as we move forward in 2020, he was the right person to give this responsibility to.”
Morris is now in his sixth season with the Atlanta Falcons.
With the Falcons mired at 0-5 for the first time since 1997, Quinn was fired as coach shortly after a 23-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Longtime general manager Thomas Dimitroff was also dismissed.
Quinn’s tenure will be remembered for a Super Bowl meltdown, when the Falcons squandered a 28-3 lead to New England and lost in overtime. That ugly memory was rekindled this season, when the Falcons blew two straight games after leading by at least 15 points in the fourth quarter.
