Did the Commanders offer Raheem Morris the head coaching job?

The Commanders loved Quinn all along, but did have serious interest in others, too.

There is more discussion claiming the Commanders settled for Dan Quinn.

On Tuesday, Dan Patrick and his guest, Albert Breer, a senior NFL reporter for Monday Morning Quarterback, joined the list.

Patrick inquired as to what transpired with the Commanders being the last vacancy filled for this 2024 cycle.

The Commanders want a strong, durable general manager for the next decade, and the Harris group firmly believes Adam Peters is that guy. Consequently, Breer began explaining to Patrick this is why Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel did not fit into the structure the Commanders currently desire. (How Mike Florio had been so insistent the Commanders wanted Bill Belichick remains unknown.)

Breer continued, “They wanted to be wide open about their process, so they had Zoom interviews with I believe, eight candidates. They brought seven of them back for in-person interviews, and they wanted to be open-minded about it.”

Then Breer divulged, “Raheem Morris almost got the job two weeks ago. The Falcons gave him an offer that made the Commanders really think.”

Breer expressed the Commanders then determined, “No, we really want to finish our process. We want to meet with everybody.”

“They were obviously interested in meeting with Ben Johnson. Um, that didn’t go so well (as Breer chuckled) on Monday as they got the news (from Johnson).”

“Then the final two were Mike Macdonald and Dan Quinn, and Seattle swooping in and grabbing Macdonald sort of clarified, simplified things.”

Patrick inquired further, “Did they want Dan Quinn? Did they settle for Dan?” Breer responded, “They love Dan Quinn, they do.” Patrick, unsatisfied again, asked, “But did they settle for Dan Quinn?”

Breer responded pointing to the common connections in San Francisco with Adam Peters there with Kyle Shanahan and other coaches having worked for Quinn in Atlanta. “So with Quinn, the references were great. He knocked the interview out of the park.”

“Is it as exciting a hire as Raheem Morris, Ben Johnson, or Mike Macdonald would have been? You know, maybe not. But Dan Quinn is somebody in high demand the last couple of years.”

“So I think ‘settled’ is the wrong word. I think they were just kind of committed to riding the entire process out, and because of that, they lost a couple of guys along the way.”

On Feb. 1, Chris Russell (The Team 980) stated Morris and Macdonald had both been offered the job and chose to go elsewhere. Russell has more than once also stated he was told by one in the Cowboys organization (during the season finale) that Quinn wanted this job.

Photo Gallery: Falcons introduce head coach Raheem Morris

Photo Gallery: Atlanta Falcons introduce Raheem Morris as 19th head coach in franchise history

The Atlanta Falcons began a new era of football on Monday, officially introducing Raheem Morris as the 19th head coach in franchise history. The former Rams defensive coordinator spent 2015-2020 in Atlanta as a member of Dan Quinn’s staff before taking over as the interim head coach for the final 11 games of the 2020 season.

Morris is highly respected in NFL circles and the Falcons are hoping he’s the right person to lead them back to the playoffs. Check out the best photos from Monday’s press conference in Atlanta below!

Raheem Morris: ‘I don’t need to be the smartest person in the building’

“I don’t need to be the smartest person in the building,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris told reporters at his Monday press conference

One thing that drove Falcons fans crazy during Arthur Smith’s tenure as head coach was the feeling that he cared more about being the reason for the team’s success than he did about the team being successful.

Obviously, that’s not true, but Smith’s demeanor often gave fans the impression that he wasn’t open to criticism. When Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner offered some constructive feedback, Smith brushed his comments off like they were written by some Twitter troll.

Smith felt Desmond Ridder was ready to be the starting quarterback and despite his inexperience, the young QB was only allowed to play one drive in the preseason. That drive ended in an interception, which would be a sign of things to come.

This kind of arrogance is what eventually led the team to replace Smith with head coach Raheem Morris. The Falcons introduced Morris on Monday and the press conference had a drastically different tone than what fans grew accustomed to under Smith.

Morris has experience on both sides of the ball, but he believes in letting his coaches coach. “I don’t need to be the smartest person in the building,” Morris said during his introductory presser.

The Falcons head coach also said he wouldn’t micromanage his coordinators. Defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake will call the defense and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will run the offense.

Morris will focus on running the team, which is what a head coach is supposed to do.

Raheem Morris loved how well Sean McVay and Les Snead worked together

Raheem Morris says he told Sean McVay he was jealous of how well he and Les Snead worked together in LA

Raheem Morris left the Los Angeles Rams this offseason to become the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach – an opportunity he’s been waiting years for. It was a well-deserved promotion for the former Rams defensive coordinator, getting a second chance at being a full-time head coach in the NFL after his first stint came when he was just 32 years old.

When he first joined the Rams in 2021, he quickly noticed one thing: how well Sean McVay and Les Snead worked together. Head coaches and general managers aren’t always in lockstep, but McVay and Snead have a great relationship that has helped them turn the Rams into perennial contenders.

Morris even told McVay in 2021 that he was jealous of his relationship with Snead.

“When I got there, one of the first things I told Sean, just noticing how he moved and the daily rhythm and routine and things that we’d done was, ‘Man, I am jealous of you and Les Snead’s relationship.’ I said, ‘To watch you guys collaborate and move in silence, be able to talk about everything, have your communication ongoing, have your communication consistent, honest, open. All of those things that you do with each other, that is the next step,’” Morris said during his introductory press conference in Atlanta on Monday.

Morris added that seeing McVay and Snead win a championship together, followed by a down year in 2022 and a quick turnaround in 2023 was “a really cool process” and a “really cool learning experience for me.”

Morris won’t be part of the ongoing rebuild the Rams are in the midst of, but he knows they’re in good hands with McVay and Snead.

Falcons Twitter reacts to Raheem Morris’ introductory press conference

Falcons Twitter reacts to head coach Raheem Morris’ introductory press conference

The Atlanta Falcons introduced Raheem Morris as the 19th head coach in franchise history on Monday afternoon. Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot met with the media for about an hour, discussing the hiring process and their shared vision for the team.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank was absent from the press conference, leaving Morris and Fontenot to answer the majority of questions. The vibe was noticeably more upbeat than it was under former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.

Let’s check in on Twitter to see how Falcons fans responded to Morris’ introductory presser.

Raheem Morris sees former Rams QBs coach Zac Robinson as a young McVay, Shanahan

Raheem Morris sees Zac Robinson, his new OC and former Rams QBs coach, as a young Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan

It seems every NFL team wants a piece of the Sean McVay coaching tree and the Atlanta Falcons are certainly picking off the Rams’ branches this offseason. After hiring Raheem Morris as their next head coach, Zac Robinson was brought in as Morris’ offensive coordinator, with Jimmy Lake becoming the Falcons’ defensive coordinator – both former Rams assistants under McVay.

Morris was introduced as the Falcons’ coach on Monday and when talking about Robinson, he mentioned how he reminds him of a young McVay and Kyle Shanahan. That’s some high praise for Robinson, given the success both McVay and Shanahan have had as young head coaches in the NFL.

Robinson, 37, is eight months younger than McVay and he’s been learning under the Rams head coach for the last five years. This is Robinson’s biggest opportunity in the NFL and he’ll call the offensive plays for the Falcons, putting him in line for a potential head coaching job down the line.

For the Rams, his departure certainly hurts, especially given the job he did with Matthew Stafford the last three seasons.

10 quotes from Falcons head coach Raheem Morris’ press conference

10 quotes from #Falcons head coach Raheem Morris’ introductory press conference

The Atlanta Falcons took their time going through the interview process and after hiring head coach Raheem Morris, the team waited over a week to formally introduce him. That extra time allowed Morris to assemble the majority of his staff before meeting with the media.

The 19th head coach in Falcons franchise history was cool, calm and collected during his introductory press conference on Monday afternoon. Morris, who was joined by general manager Terry Fontenot, fielded a variety of questions about the direction of the team, expectations for the 2024 season, and the quarterback position.

Here’s a look at 10 notable quotes from Morris’ introductory press conference.

Live updates from Falcons head coach Raheem Morris’ press conference

Live updates from #Falcons head coach Raheem Morris’ introductory press conference

The Atlanta Falcons named Raheem Morris the 19th head coach in franchise history and are currently introducing him at a Monday press conference. Fans are eager to hear Morris’ vision for the team, his plans at the quarterback position, and what Atlanta’s expectations are in 2024.

Check out live updates from Monday’s press conference and watch for yourself below!

WATCH: Atlanta Falcons introduce head coach Raheem Morris

WATCH: Atlanta Falcons hold press conference introducing head coach Raheem Morris

After meeting with 14 different coaching candidates, the Atlanta Falcons eventually hired Raheem Morris as the 19th head coach in team history. Morris, 47, spent the last three years as the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams and now returns to Atlanta where he coached for six seasons (2015-2020).

The Falcons officially introduced Morris as the head coach on Monday afternoon. Watch the full press conference below, as shared by the team’s YouTube channel.

Falcons to introduce head coach Raheem Morris at 2:00 p.m. ET

#Falcons to introduce head coach Raheem Morris at 2:00 p.m. ET on Monday

The Atlanta Falcons are set to introduce their new head coach, Raheem Morris, on Monday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. ET from Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Morris, 47, officially becomes the 19th head coach in franchise history and comes to Atlanta after coaching the Los Angeles Rams defense for the last three seasons. The Rams defeated the Bengals in the Super Bowl in 2021 and they returned to the playoffs in 2023 despite undergoing a minor rebuild.

Morris is no stranger to Atlanta, coaching for the Falcons in various roles from 2015 to 2020. He even served as the interim head coach when Dan Quinn was fired early in the 2020 season. The Falcons interviewed 14 different candidates but Morris was one of a few to land a second interview.

Make sure to tune in at 2:00 p.m. ET, and check back for our recap and takeaways following Monday’s press conference.