Despite a massive victory in Week 15, it would be shocking if Raheem Morris isn't fired this offseason. The Atlanta Falcons are sitting at 5-9 and losers of seven of their last nine, so nobody should be surprised to see Morris sitting on the hot seat through the Falcons' final three games of the season,
This time last year Raheem Morris had the Dirty Birds in prime playoff position, but lost six of their last eight games to miss the postseason. There's certainly some red flags flying about Morris, but it shouldn't take him long to find work if Arthur Blank finally decides to pull the plug on this regime.
Morris is still a Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator, so his track record in both Atlanta and Los Angeles should help his case. Now that the New York Jets have an opening at defensive coordinator after firing Steve Wilks, The Jet Press' Justin Fried labeled Morris as a potential successor.
"In many ways, Morris represents what the Jets were hoping Steve Wilks would be. He's a proven defensive leader with head coaching experience, but with a stronger recent track record."Justin Fried
Raheem Morris could become a candidate for the Jets' defensive coordinator job if he's fired
Morris' track record is pretty clear, he might not be the most viable head coach, but he's a good defensive coordinator and is got at rallying a locker room behind him. And for a Jets' team who had one of the best defenses in football under Robert Saleh, they're looking to recapture the glory days.
After Wilks' defense surrendered 103 points in the last three games, including 48 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15, the Jets pursued a change. Aaron Glenn seems to want an experienced DC to call his defense, and Morris has proven success as a play-caller and working with defensive backs.
Moreover, Morris is a New Jersey native and attended Hofstra University, which used to serve as Gang Green's training camp location. His ties to the tri-state area make him a top candidate, but he'd be inheriting a defense that has significantly less talent to work with, especially on the defensive line.
The most ironic part about these rumors is the fact he would serve as a successor to current Falcons' defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich in New York, who's done phenomenal work with the Atlanta defense after a rough stint as interim head coach with the Jets, while Wilks' work saw the unit suffer.
However, the most Falcons thing ever would be to go 2-1 in the final three games, improve to 7-10, and retain the 49-year-old for another season. Ian Rapoport reported earlier this week that no decision will come until the offseason, which backed up Jeremy Fowler's claim from a few weeks ago.
In the likely event Morris does get fired, the Jets are certainly a landing spot to watch.