The Atlanta Falcons are set to hire Raheem Morris as their new head coach, according to reports.
Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Morris will replace Arthur Smith, who was dismissed after three seasons, in each of which the Falcons finished with a 7-10 record.
Morris will return to the Falcons after previous stints as an assistant then interim coach
Other candidates interviewed for the role as well as Morris included Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who is considered one of the league’s top coaching prospects after he oversaw the development of CJ Stroud, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and Bill Belichick.
Six-time Super Bowl winner Belichick parted ways with the New England Patriots after a tenure of more than two decades.
Belichick, 71, has won more Super Bowl titles than any other coach and his 333 wins, including playoffs, leave him just 14 shy of Don Shula’s record.
For Morris it will be a return to Atlanta. He worked for the franchise as an assistant coach between 2015 and 2020 and for the final 11 games of the 2020 season was their interim coach when he took over from Dan Quinn.
Prior to that he was head coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.