With the offseason upon most teams, several organizations will be looking for a new head coach following disappointing 2022 seasons.
As of right now, there are five open head coaching positions available: Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. Most of these teams have already put out requests for interviews, with big names like Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh among the biggest names to be linked to jobs.
However, there are also several highly qualified coordinators that are available during this year’s hiring cycle including the Los Angeles Rams’ Raheem Morris.
Morris helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl LVI victory that he parlayed into an interview with the Minnesota Vikings for their head coaching vacancy at the time. However, the Vikings opted for former L.A. offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell, allowing Morris to return to the team for a second season.
This time around, Morris seems to be in higher demand as he is reportedly set to meet with both the Broncos and Colts, via Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated:
Source: The Broncos will interview Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris next Tuesday, Jan. 17. He'll also interview with Colts, timing on that TBD.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 10, 2023
Denver wasted no time in firing former head coach Nathaniel Hackett during his first year with the team due to their disastrous season, while the Colts fired Frank Reich midseason as well. Jeff Saturday was named the interim head coach in place of Reich but he too struggled, going 1-7 down the stretch.
Despite a down year for the Rams, Morris remains an intriguing candidate for teams like the Broncos and Colts because of his pedigree and experience working alongside head coach Sean McVay. McVay’s coordinators have gone on to have success around the NFL, and it stands to reason that that kind of success would rub off on Morris who seems more prepared to man the helm of a team.
Losing Morris would continue a trend for the Rams, who lose key members of their coaching staff every year. This year the problem is exacerbated by the fact that McVay’s future with the organization is uncertain as he is mulling stepping away.
Either way, it feels like Los Angeles will have several holes to fill both on the roster and on the coaching staff. Morris has made a considerable impact with the Rams during his two seasons, and it’ll be exciting to see if he gets the head coaching opportunity he clearly deserves.
