Are the Rams hiring Raheem Morris as their next defensive coordinator? Those were the rumors on Tuesday and at around 4 pm PT, Josina Anderson was reporting that sources say Morris was actually hired, while The Athletic’s Jourdan Roridgue confirms that his sources also say things are going in that direction.
But nothing has been confirmed by anyone with the Rams that the Rams will in fact hire Morris to replace the late Brandon Staley.
I was told that Raheem Morris will be the next defensive coordinator for the #Rams, by source. (NFLN 1st linked Morris as a target).
– IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 19, 2021
As previously reported, Raheem Morris was the top external candidate for the Rams DC position and the feeling was that they could move quickly with the hiring this week.
Things are really going that way, said a source.
– Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) January 19, 2021
Morris, 44, worked with Jon Gruden and alongside Sean McVay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers midweek. He never served as a defensive coordinator for the NFL before being promoted by the Bucs to become the head coach in 2009, when he was just 33 years old. The Bucs had 3-13 in their first season, then 10-6 in their second, but losing the playoffs.
Morris was fired after Tampa Bay was 4 to 12 in 2011.
He returned to Mike Shanahan’s tree, working for Washington from 2012-2014, then was hired by Dan Quinn to be an assistant chief coach with the Falcons in 2015. Morris spent five and a half seasons under Quinn until he was promoted to interim head coach in 2020, after Quinn was fired after a 1-4 start.
Morris led the team to a 4-7 record, placing 29th in allowed yards and 19 in allowed points.
If hired by Rams, which makes sense given his long history with Sean McVay, he will take on the number one defense by allowed points and yards in 2020.