LOS ANGELES — Rams basic supervisor Les Snead started his end-of-season information convention with an unprompted endorsement of defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who’s interviewing for a number of head coach openings.
Morris, who has been the Rams’ defensive coordinator for the previous three seasons, has been a head coach twice earlier than: with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011 and because the Atlanta Falcons’ interim coach in 2020.
Earlier than he took questions Friday, Snead mentioned he wished to speak about Morris “as a result of I do know he is interviewing for almost each head-coaching job within the NFL proper now.”
Morris has interviewed with or been requested for an interview by the Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers and Falcons, based on ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Final offseason, Morris interviewed with the Indianapolis Colts for his or her head coach opening.
“No. 1, I feel everyone knows, [he’s a] nice human being,” Snead mentioned. “The man is coded to respect everybody, to construct a relationship with everybody regardless of the place you are at within the group. What’s superior is, as he does that, you simply see the respect circulate again in his course. He is coded for that. It is a superpower that I feel would assist any group.”
Rams coach Sean McVay mentioned when he interviewed Morris for the defensive coordinator place in 2021, he hung out making an attempt to persuade Morris to take the Rams job as an alternative of going to Jacksonville to teach the Jaguars.
“However what I bear in mind is as quickly as we have been in a position to get him on board, there was an instantaneous pleasure from everyone that he touched on this constructing, whether or not it’s gamers, coaches [or] workers,” McVay mentioned. “And he is acquired that magnetism about him the place he’s simply saying one thing’s completely different about this man and he is actually particular.”
Morris, who was the group’s defensive coordinator when it gained Tremendous Bowl LVI, helped the Rams attain the playoffs in a season through which they selected to maneuver on from a number of veteran defensive gamers and as an alternative lean on rookies. The Rams traded star cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins and parted methods with linebacker Bobby Wagner, linebacker Leonard Floyd, defensive deal with A’Shawn Robinson and nostril deal with Greg Gaines.
Snead pointed to Morris’ “distinctive soccer acumen,” as a result of he has coached in each defensive and offensive rooms, one thing “not many coaches on the planet” can say.
“He’ll give any group an edge simply how collaborative he’s,” Snead mentioned. “It’ll be an edge that almost all groups aren’t going to have the ability to compete with. I do know this, he’ll have the ability to rent an unbelievable workers. Each coach who’s any good, who’s certified, they will wish to work for Raheem. And I am fairly positive there will be lots of tampering prices as a result of nearly each participant within the NFL’s going to textual content him and wish to come play for him.”
Maybe most significantly for a head-coaching candidate, Morris is “an outstanding chief,” McVay mentioned.
“He at all times had such a novel approach about main,” McVay mentioned. “The man has by no means had a nasty day in his life, and you then get round him and also you’re pondering, ‘Yeah, you possibly can’t be like this on a regular basis.’ And you are like, ‘Holy … he actually is like this on a regular basis.’ He is simply acquired such nice power that is so genuine. He will be demanding on individuals.
“He is simply such an important particular person. He has acquired such an unimaginable excessive capability for this recreation and the flexibility to have the ability to train in a digestible method. I can not say sufficient good issues about him by way of what he is meant to me.”
The Rams would obtain a third-round compensatory choose for 2 years if Morris is employed by one other group as a part of the Rooney Rule.
