Raheem Morris Takes New Career Path
January 25th, 2016
The ol’ ball coach, the man who guided the Bucs to their last strong season, a prideful 10-6 in 2010, has made a stunning change.
Raheem Morris, the Bucs’ former head coach and defensive coordinator, is now the Falcons’ wide receivers coach and a passing game coordinator, per Atlanta Journal-Constitution beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter.
Raheem was assistant head coach/defensive passing game coordinator last season, his first on head coach Dan Quinn’s new staff.
“I am excited about these moves and what they will do for our coaching staff,” said Falcons coach Dan Quinn. “I have known Raheem for over 19 years and I have no doubt his extensive background in the passing game will prove to be a tremendous asset to our offensive coaching staff. His experience, combined with his personality, makes him the perfect fit to take over this role.”
That’s one bizarre shift for Raheem. In fact, this is probably some sort of historic move in NFL history. When the hell does a career defensive coach shift to the offensive side of the ball? Raheem didn’t even play offense in college.
It’s not like the Falcons had a bad pass defense last season. Theirs had improved dramatically. They ranked 15th in the NFL, despite a pass rush far worse than the Bucs’.
Joe wishes Raheem well. If successful, it’s clearly a move that will help him become a head coach again. Just 39 years old, Raheem has plenty of time to prove he’s worthy of another shot.
January 25th, 2016 at 1:35 pm
Yes,,,,,Raheem is still a very “youngry” man!!!
January 25th, 2016 at 1:37 pm
Coaches coach, I think he is a great coach, maybe the HC was just premature. The guy always finds work….
January 25th, 2016 at 1:38 pm
Only Lovie Smith knows more about how to get wide receivers wide open downfield. Great Call Dan.
January 25th, 2016 at 1:45 pm
Shows you what Dan Quinn thinks of Raheem Morris’ ability to coach and design NFL defensive schemes… He sent him to the offense… Lol… This is not a promotion…
January 25th, 2016 at 1:49 pm
I’m reading unconfirmed reports that in response to questions about his new position Raheem said, “I dare somebody to write an article about why I’m the new wide receivers coach. I dare you.”
January 25th, 2016 at 1:49 pm
Interesting. Wishing him the best, but wow, that’s a ballsy jump. I give him huge credit on taking a massive chance. I think he would’ve had his day and I think that he is one of the worst managed situations out there. I know Gruden had to be being a pain in the … about bringing players in but firing him, to hire Raheem, wow, that was crazy.
January 25th, 2016 at 2:06 pm
Wow this guy has taken on more jobs he is not qualified for than anyone I know. Well I guess he wont hurt their defense anymore.
January 25th, 2016 at 2:06 pm
@ tnew
You think Raheem Morris had a choice between wide receivers coach and getting fired?
January 25th, 2016 at 2:09 pm
I’m thinking on these lines, this guy is just trying to get as much experience in as many parts of football as possible to increase his stock. Fail or succeed it bodes well that he is willing to try something new to gain experience. I’m wishing this cat all the best!! And all you haters and debaters … bite it!
January 25th, 2016 at 2:11 pm
Nothing wrong diversifying your exposure. Obviously he is trying to learn to be a better HC candidate in the future.
January 25th, 2016 at 2:18 pm
Who knows….he might be able to pull it off!
January 25th, 2016 at 2:20 pm
The making of a “Balanced ” philosophy HC.
January 25th, 2016 at 2:37 pm
given how effective passing attacks have been versus his units since 2009 (bucs HC, redskins DB coach, and falcons DB coach during some pretty putrid seasons), it seems like a case of “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em”
January 25th, 2016 at 2:53 pm
I can’t help but root for this guy. He was thrown into a position he wasn’t ready for…I don’t blame him for accepting the promotion.
There’s never been any question that Raheem knows his X’s and O’s. This could be a really good move for him if he’s looking for another HC opportunity in the future. I for one hope he gets it and is successful against teams other than the Bucs
January 25th, 2016 at 3:05 pm
Great move by and for Morris. The more he expands his offensive knowledge, the better HC he will be when he gets another shot at HC. And He will get another shot in the future somewhere. I like his thinking on learning the entire pro system. Good Luck Rah!
January 25th, 2016 at 3:07 pm
Raheem Morris will probably come back one day and kicked the Bucs A.. and win a superbowl. A lot of our so called throwaways have done this. Doug Williams, Dungy, trent Dilfer..probably more
January 25th, 2016 at 3:16 pm
Schefter now reporting that Julio Jones has filed retirement papers with the league office.
January 25th, 2016 at 3:27 pm
This is wonderful news for Bucs fans.
January 25th, 2016 at 3:29 pm
Another casualty brought to you by the Idiot Glazer Brothers.
January 25th, 2016 at 3:34 pm
Didn’t really work for Juan Castillo with the Eagles. Fired after one season.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Castillo_(American_football)
Wish Raheem the best, but wow this is strange.
January 25th, 2016 at 3:36 pm
For those who forgot already:
Manchester United = Hire Raheem Morris for the next inexpensive coach until our checkbook balances again….
January 25th, 2016 at 3:37 pm
redskins pass D on raheem’s watch: 30th, 20th, 24th
falcons pass D was middle of the road.
how exactly has raheem proven that he is deserving or capable of being a coordinator or head coach? did i miss something or has 4 years of schiano and lovie just distorted some people’s recollection?
he was the head coaching equivalent of marcus arroyo
January 25th, 2016 at 3:42 pm
“he was the head coaching equivalent of marcus arroyo”
EASY now! He had those 10- 6 Bucs YUNGRY!!!
I get the got full and not hungry in 2011…
January 25th, 2016 at 3:46 pm
One of the worst bucs coaches ever
January 25th, 2016 at 4:23 pm
Even though this was not a promotion!! It could be the best thing in Rah’s career. Being a defensive coach and a “cover 2” specialist is a dead end!!! I would try and reinvent myself as well!!!!
January 25th, 2016 at 4:25 pm
“One of the worst bucs coaches ever”
——-
Maybe so, but there’s a ton of Bucs coaches that never coached a team to a 10-6 record. Especially with very little talent. I don’t give a damn about how easy the schedule was.
Also, has there ever been a coach that has given better press conferences? Even Rex Ryan has never said his players should take their underwear off and put their face on people. That’s probably the greatest thing I’ve ever heard in all my life, lol. Raheem will always have a special place in my heart.
January 25th, 2016 at 4:38 pm
People forget he went 10-6.We have not had a winning season since
January 25th, 2016 at 4:39 pm
Quinn was probably impressed by all those wide open receivers Rah’s dbs have let loose over the years.
January 25th, 2016 at 4:42 pm
“Rah” was a terrible head coach….probably the worst in bucs history. This guy never acted like a head coach or a leader of men at the level necessary to be a head coach. Not even close. He may be a fine position coach but I doubt he’ll get much further. That 10-6 record was a fluke that crumbled quickly the following year.
January 25th, 2016 at 5:04 pm
Well, this isn’t unprecedented in NFL history. Other teams have had coaches switch from one side of the ball to the other too; most recently the Eagles’ Juan Castillo under Andy Reid.
January 25th, 2016 at 5:11 pm
I always liked Rah. The biggest mistake was getting promoted way to early and then trying to bond with players who were not much older than he was.
Can’t be players best friends and then try to coach them. Hopefully he has learned from that painful lesson.
As far as worst Buc’s coach ever…based on what? Not his record. Not his media relations. Cmon guys this is a team that had Ray Perkins and Richard Johnson as head coaches!!!
January 25th, 2016 at 5:17 pm
Think about it. To be knowledgable about defense, you have to have a great understanding about the offenses you face every week. Rah will be fine.
January 25th, 2016 at 5:22 pm
Congrats to Raheem, I wish him the best! Some of you guys are so full of hate, you would think Raheem and Schiano gang banged your sister. So their coaching stints here didn’t work out, no need to have such animosity towards them. Ease up, you’ll live longer.
January 25th, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Worst head coaches in Team history:
-Leeman Bennett
-Richard Williamson
-Lovie Smith
-Greg Schiano
-Ray Perkins
-Raheem Morris
-Sam Wyche
-John McKay
-Tony Dungy
-Jon Gruden
Gruden over Dungy imo because of the sb. I love what Dungy did, but you cant deny a Lombardi.
I had John McKay third due to him leading us to the playoffs, only coach in team history to do so besides the two guys ahead of him.
Sam Wyche helped bring in some talent that would end up helping our team for the next decade.
Raheem managed 10-6 despite a lack of talent. Had Dominick helped build on that, Raheem might have lasted more than three seasons.
I put Perkins over Schiano simply because Perkins didn’t have near the talent to work with that Schiano had.
Lovie avoids the bottom two for signing off on Jameis and other key draft picks. Other than that, his tenure was one bumbling mistake after another.
Williamson and Bennett, worst in team history.
January 25th, 2016 at 6:27 pm
@ Espo
Agreed… You don’t get moved to WR coach because your a valued defensive genious…
January 25th, 2016 at 6:39 pm
Me thinks he will do well as a WR’s coach, having the experience of being DB coach for many years.
January 25th, 2016 at 6:56 pm
Julio Jones should help make his job a little easier.
January 25th, 2016 at 6:59 pm
I’m still trying to figure out what the heck Rah was saying, During those weekly pressers at One Buc Palace!
January 25th, 2016 at 7:38 pm
STPETE
Who is coach Richard Johnson, I haven’t miss placed a season of Buccaneer football have I? “Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.”
I think you where speaking of Richard Willamson, a good WR coach, who was a bad HC.
Glad to see Mr. Raheem Morris is trying to keep on working in the NFL. Not an easy thing to do, as a coach or a player. I live not to far from the birds nest in flowery branch, I might get to bump into him around town. maybe he might sign my hat. He did have our last better than .500 team, that had a good record of 10-6. Has he not been with Washington D the past few years, secondary coach of some type? I am happy for him he is trying to improve his NFL resume with this move to Offensive responsibilities in the passing game. I am glad he no longer is our HC. I think he needed more time to grow his skills sets before becoming a HC. He comes across as a energetic guy, He does give great press conferences.
Go Bucs!
January 25th, 2016 at 7:44 pm
Do you Raheem, some didn’t want you here, one monkey don’t stop no show!
January 25th, 2016 at 7:55 pm
To think this guy was better than Lovie, with so much less talent.
What the hell just happened these past two years?
Smh…
January 25th, 2016 at 7:56 pm
This is nothing new. Hue Jackson went from being a well established OC, to HC, to DB coach for the bengals. Then went back to offense and coached their RBs.
If you know football you know football. Changing positions is no big deal. Besides if you spent your whole career defending the pass, you should know a thing or 2 about what a successful passing looks like.
And as the old saying goes, “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”
January 25th, 2016 at 8:48 pm
Well count me in the crowd that is thinking wtf does a DB coach know about offense, but good for Rah for sticking around in some MFL capacity. I think despite the fluke 10-6 record he was the worst of the last three HC’s, and the piss poor drafts he and Dom ran for 3 years set this franchise on its current course of ineptitude (it’s never good when the number of players you draft that are out of the NFL far exceeds the ones still playing). That said though I can’t help but root for the guy, he was merely taking the job offered to him. The guy seems to be putting in his time and trying to expand his resume, good for him for not becoming a “mental midget” and giving up on the dream. I still think his “Ill tolerate you until I can replace you” quote was great.
January 25th, 2016 at 9:31 pm
Morris was the best Buccaneers head coach since Gruden.
#You are what your record says you are
January 25th, 2016 at 9:35 pm
…and he did it in the lean years of payroll spending.
He had Freeman, a young Talib, Sgt Winslow and a Rookie McCoy. That was about it.
January 25th, 2016 at 10:39 pm
Raheem did the most with the least. It wasn’t until schiano came a long that the glazers opened up their pocket books.
3 years and Raheem got no free agents. Schiano and Lovie got a blank check book to do whatever they pleased.
January 25th, 2016 at 11:35 pm
Makes you wonder how much of Morris’ 10-6 season was due to Talib
(of course Morris gets credit for being a great DB coach too)
January 25th, 2016 at 11:45 pm
Toesontheline, (& name here)
I’m with you in wishing Rah the best.
I would like to point out that moving Rah to receivers coach is not because of his knowledge of the position. That fact is indisputable. What you and others seem to discount or dismiss is his new position allows him to utilize his knowledge of Defensive secondary coverage schemes, assignments and techniques. He will be in a position to teach receivers from the other side of ball.
Additionally, coaching various positions is the norm not exception. So Rah’ s not breaking the kind of ground you and others seem to believe. Pete Carroll will be working with Russell Wilson this off season to teach him, not offense, but defense. Tom Brady works with Billichek in the same way. Neither Carroll or Billichek are Offensive coordinators or QB coaches nor have they been. What they’re doing is the same thing that is expected from Rah. Giving knowledge of Defensive to an offensive player.