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The Atlanta Falcons reportedly plan to hire Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as their next head coach, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Morris beat out a large and loaded field of candidates who interviewed for the job, including eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick, who just finished a 24-year reign as the New England Patriots’ head coach.
Belichick long seemed like the favorite for the gig, especially after landing two interviews with the team. However, Schefter reported Thursday that Belichick was no longer the favorite.
Now Belichick won’t be going to Atlanta at all, leaving numerous fans and analysts surprised at the result.
Mark Zinno @MarkZinno
In the end, Arthur Blank ultimately chose Rich McKay over Bill Belichick. He chose McKay’s decision making and football decisions over the greatest coach in NFL history. I’m stunned. #Falcons
Frank Ammirante @FAmmiranteTFJ
Surprised to see that Raheem Morris is the new Falcons head coach.
I thought Bobby Slowik or Bill Belichick would get the job.
But that doesn’t mean this isn’t a good move.
Morris definitely deserved another chance as head coach.
Savage @SavageSports_
BREAKING
The Falcons will PASS on Bill Belichick.
Omg.
Johnny Five @JohnMurachanian
I can’t even imagine being a Falcons fan and not getting Bill Belichick
RJ Ochoa @rjochoa
Obviously circumstances in our current moment are unique and the Bill Belichick of today is not who he once was but it is still wild to see a team in the Falcons seemingly not do anything/everything possible to get him to be their head coach
Sami ON Tap @SamiOnTap
I thought Bill Belichick was 100% a lock for the Falcons.
They go with Raheem Morris.
Does this mean Belichick goes to Washington? Or goes jobless?! 😳
Seahawks can guarantee themselves now… Ben Johnson or Mike Macdonald if that’s who they want.
Or Bill Belichick? 🤔
Aayushya Agarwal @aayushyagarwal7
Very surprised that the Falcons didn’t go ahead with Belichick.
Unless the interest wasn’t there from the former Patriot coach, I don’t see how that wasn’t a no-brainer hire. https://t.co/ipg5XWmhn3
Tadi Abedje @realTadiAbedje
Wow Raheem Morris will be the Falcons head coach instead of Bill Belichick. He used to be their interim coach in 2020. A stunner!!#Falcons #NFL https://t.co/ucnfYYGvlX
Greg Dudek @gdudek10
Bill Belichick had what felt like a 28-3 lead for the Falcons job and it ends up going to Raheem Morris.
Sandy @SandyBarstow1
And with that my tenure as a Falcons fan comes to an end. Nothing personal against Raheem, just don’t see how you have Slowick, Vrabel, Belichick and Johnson on the table and choose Morris. I am truly baffled. https://t.co/hq9yTYKDqM
Ted Glover @purplebuckeye
Great hire by the Falcons.
But the music has almost stopped, and Bill Belichick doesn’t have a chair yet. That’s wild to me. https://t.co/jyQFR2pbs9
Now it appears Belichick may not even get a head coaching job at all in 2024.
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
The #Falcons were the only team to interview legendary coach Bill Belichick, and there are no known scheduled interviews. Potentially, Belichick could sit out the year and await an opportunity in 2025.
Only two spots remain empty in Washington and Seattle, and there’s still a host of talented head coaching candidates out there, including two hot offensive coordinator names in the Detroit Lions’ Ben Johnson and the Houston Texans’ Bobby Slowik.
In sum, the 2024 season could mark the first year in the 21st century in which Belichick is not serving as the head coach of an NFL team.
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