South Atlanta News

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Raheem Morris learned the importance of being "nosy" early in his coaching career.

Morris began his NFL journey in 2002 as a defensive quality control coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where Mike Tomlin was the defensive backs coach. Morris noticed Tomlin, who played wide receiver in college at William and Mary, taking an interest in offense too. Morris quickly followed suit.

Morris and Tomlin would attend every offensive meeting they could. Morris carried that initiative throughout his career, floating between both sides of the ball. When he was asked to transition to the Falcons' wide receivers room in 2016, some raised their eyebrows at the move. Morris had over a decade of experience coaching defense, but the transition was seamless and beneficial for Atlanta.

"The first opportunity I got to coach (offense) was here with Dan Quinn, and really that was full force," Morris said. "No hesitation going into it because of those moments with Mike Tomlin and thinking about the background knowledge that you want to have being a coach on defense, having knowledge to coach on offense, and it certainly serves me well right now in the position I'm in now."

As a head coach, that dual expertise is a "priceless" quality that many around the league find unique unless one includes Tomlin.

In 2007, Morris became the Bucs' secondary coach, the same role previously held by Tomlin. His assistant defensive backs coach at the time was Jimmy Lake, who now serves as Atlanta's defensive coordinator. By then, Morris was already well-versed with offense. Lake watched Morris do what Tomlin did — float back and forth between offense and defense.

When Morris joined the Los Angeles Rams as defensive coordinator in 2021, his office was located across from Zac Robinson, the team's assistant quarterbacks coach. The two would often have conversations about — and benefiting — both sides of the ball. Lake joined Morris and Robinson in Los Angeles last season as an offensive assistant.

"Raheem is basically an offensive coach now," Robinson said. "Don't let it fool you; he's a defensive guy. He loves offense. He loves the defensive side of the ball, but there are so many things that he helps me with; he helps our staff with on offense."

Morris can speak to every player and coach without being limited to a specific unit or position group.

"I can go to him to ask questions about defense, and then he can translate back to me in offense," quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "I don't have to do that translation, which I've often had to do with defensive coaches."

Robinson stated he hasn't worked with another head coach carrying cross-unit experience like Morris does. Neither had Cousins until working with him.

"I don't know if I were an owner if I'd ever hire a head coach who didn't have experience on both sides of the ball," Cousins said.

Safety Richie Grant didn't know about Morris' experience coaching wide receivers during his first stint in Atlanta from 2015-20 but found new clarity upon learning this information regarding how Morris gives pointers when guarding receivers.

Morris and Tomlin are connected once again for this new season's commencement. Week 1 often involves feeling out processes without much film for game planning but their similar experiences should make for interesting strategies on both sides of play.

"He looks on us with a lot of pride...and he's certainly that for me," Morris said of Tomlin."I've certainly got a lot of respect for him."