NFL coach firings, hirings and movement tracker: Falcons set to tab Raheem Morris in surprising choice
TheĀ Atlanta FalconsĀ are hiringĀ Los Angeles RamsĀ defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as head coach,Ā the team announced Thursday.
It’s a somewhat surprising choice after the Falcons interviewed formerĀ PatriotsĀ head coach Bill Belichick multiple times and had a long list of high-profile interviews for the position.
Morris does have history with the team, however, serving as defensive coordinator in 2020 and interim head coach for the final 11 games of that season. He also served various assistant coaching roles on the offensive side in Atlanta from 2015-19.
He’s been leading the defense for the Rams since 2021.
Morris is one of several head coaching hires in the last week across the NFL. TheĀ Los Angeles ChargersĀ landed perhaps the biggest name on the market byĀ luring Jim Harbaugh away from Michigan.
Weeks after leading his alma mater to a national championship, Harbaugh is returning to the NFL to coach theĀ Chargers, the team announced Wednesday.
Before coaching nine seasons at Michigan, Harbaugh coached theĀ San Francisco 49ersĀ for four seasons from 2011-14. The 49ers never had a losing record in any of those seasons, reaching a Super Bowl and three NFC title games, but an 8-8 season in 2014 and acrimony between Harbaugh and the front office helped lead to his return to the college ranks.
Now he’s back in charge of a promising roster inĀ Los Angeles, led by quarterbackĀ Justin Herbert.
He’ll apparently be paired with Joe Hortiz, who isĀ reportedlyĀ set to become the Chargers’ new general manager. Hortiz has served as theĀ Baltimore Ravens’ director of player personnel since 2019.
Elsewhere in the NFL, theĀ Carolina PanthersĀ announced ThursdayĀ the hiring ofĀ Tampa Bay BuccaneersĀ offensive coordinator Dave Canales as head coach. He’ll join Dan Morgan, who theĀ Panthers hiredĀ as their new GM/president of football operations earlier in the week. Canales came toĀ Tampa BayĀ in 2023 following 13 seasons as an assistant for theĀ Seattle Seahawks.
Meanwhile, theĀ Tennessee Titans hired Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian CallahanĀ as head coach, the team announced Wednesday.
Callahan will replace Mike Vrabel, who was fired after six seasons with the Titans. They went 6-11 and missed the playoffs for a second straight year this season.
One team that won’t be changing head coaches is the Eagles,Ā who chose to stick with Nick Sirianni and general manager Howie RosemanĀ despite the team’s late-season collapse.
There are now two remaining head coach openings in the league: the Seahawks andĀ Commanders.
Keep up with all the changes in some of the NFL’s top jobs right here with Yahoo Sports.
