FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Raheem Morris is a man on a mission, no doubt about it. He’s here in Atlanta to do one thing, and one thing only: build a winning football team. And he’s not afraid to say it.
“There is no need for Raheem Morris to mince words. Not here. Not now,” writes one American football journalist in a recent piece. Morris, the fireball of a new coach for the Atlanta Falcons, has his work cut out for him. With a team that’s been on the decline for the past six seasons, Morris knows he has something to prove in his second stint as an NFL head coach.
But for Morris, it’s not just about winning – it’s about building a people-first culture. And that’s exactly what he plans to do with the Falcons.
And it seems like his players are buying in. Falcons GM Terry Fontenot recalls a particularly early morning FaceTime call from Morris during the second week of training camp.
“It wasn’t a mere phone call,” Fontenot says. “It was Morris, Face-Timing. Obviously, he’s all excited about how we’re going to practice and everything. Maybe it was 5 a.m., but whatever, he FaceTimed me. And so, it’s just normal for him to do that.”
With expectations soaring in Atlanta – season tickets sold out for the first time in two decades – Morris knows he has his work cut out for him. But he’s not shying away from the challenge.
“Promises, promises,” the journalist writes. “If winning big is the measure, different is a long time coming for a franchise that has stumbled along with six consecutive losing seasons but is suddenly such a hot item that season tickets are sold out for the first time in two decades. Talk about fueling expectations.”
But for Morris, it’s all about the relationships. He knows that winning starts with the people you surround yourself with, and he’s focused on building that foundation in Atlanta.
So far, it seems like Morris is off to a good start. With his infectious energy and passion for the game, the Falcons may just be turning a new leaf under his leadership.
As the journalist concludes, “There is no need for Raheem Morris to mince words. Not here. Not now.” And with that kind of attitude, it’s clear that Morris is ready to take the Falcons to new heights.
