Since being fired by the Atlanta Falcons a week ago, Raheem Morris has been a busy man. He already had one head coaching interview with the New York Giants, and has two more lined up this week, yet more could be on the way in the coming days now that multiple other vacancies have opened up.
The 49-year-old is also expected to be a popular candidate for defensive coordinator jobs if he doesn't land another head coaching opportunity, but it doesn't seem like that interests him like being a head coach does. And that led NFL Insider Ian Rapoport to reveal that if he is passed over, Morris could take a year off from coaching and take a job in TV for the 2026 season.
The Insiders on @NFLGameDay with @TomPelissero & @MikeGarafolo: Raheem Morris has 3 HC interviews, but could land in TV; Mike McDaniel will interview with the #Titans & #Browns for HC; Inside the #Giants search, plus there's real concern that #Eagles G Lane Johnson doesn’t play. pic.twitter.com/fmb3DvjL26
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 10, 2026
Currently, the Giants, Titans, and Cardinals are all considering him in their searches, but it's unclear whether he's a serious coaching candidate so soon after he was fired. Morris is chasing redemption after a tumultuous end to his time with the Falcons, but that opportunity likely won't come this cycle.
It's no guarantee that Raheem Morris will be coaching in 2026 if he doesn't get a head coaching opportunity
Like Rapoport said, Morris would be a good NFL analyst, but this level of stubbornness is out of the ordinary. He is clearly a likable guy who knows what he's talking about, but with how players seem to respect and respond to him, his knowledge would be more beneficial in locker room than on the air.
Something else that Morris needs to keep in mind is that his perception of himself isn't always spot-on. He publicly admitted he expected to be retained just hours before Arthur Blank fired him, so just because Morris thinks he's head coaching material doesn't mean that everyone else is in agreement.
Taking a year off from coaching something that has worked for coaches before, but it doesn't always result in guaranteed success. So far, it hasn't worked for Mike McCarthy, who has a far better track record than Morris does as a head coach, so he may just be better off taking a high profile DC job.
Depending on how this head coaching cycle plays out, the Rams, Packers, Broncos, and Vikings could have DC vacancies, which doesn't even account for the coordinator openings that the Cowboys, Commanders, and both New York teams have where Morris could be a leading candidate.
Things may not have worked out for him in Atlanta, but it's hard not to root for Morris to be successful somewhere, so here's hoping this works out for him if he takes a risk like venturing into sports media.