The NFL’s hiring cycle has brought about several head coaching candidates from the Los Angeles Rams’ staff once again this year. Raheem Morris is among them, landing an interview with the Minnesota Vikings on Friday.
The Rams defensive coordinator is in his first season with Los Angeles and although there was a drop-off from last year’s top-ranked defense, the Rams were excellent under Morris’ guidance this season. The Rams finished the regular season fifth in defense DVOA, which is only one spot lower than where they were in 2020.
Morris, who was previously a head coach with the Buccaneers from 2009-2011, deserves another shot at leading a team. Just ask Jalen Ramsey what he thinks of Morris as a head coaching candidate.
Ramsey raved about the job Morris did in Los Angeles this season, not only with the defense as a whole, but with him individually as a defensive back. He went as far as to call him the best coach he’s ever had – and that’s coming from someone who’s played for Wade Phillips and Brandon Staley.
“I’ve had great coaches, honestly. I mean, since the time I was traded here to LA couple years ago, I was with the legendary Coach Wade. And then I got to be with Coach Staley, who obviously I think very highly of, and he did a great job and he helped me a lot. And he opened up my game to where I was able to showcase my skill set even more just by different positions and coverages that I was able to play while he was here and he got his opportunity to go be a head coach,” Ramsey said. “And I personally think he did a good job. And then when ‘Rah’ got here this year, he kind of just took that and went to another level with it. And not only personally allowed me to play multiple positions and be effective all around the game, but like the way he taught me the game, the way he breaks down film, things like that he’s done with me personally that’s like improved my game like more than I could ever, ever honestly think about. And then not only that, just the leader he is like really, really the leader he is – how he coaches all of his guys, knows all of his guys, not just like he doesn’t treat us all the same, but he treats us all fairly if that makes sense. Like he knows how to treat different people, how they need to be treated. He’s honestly – I could probably go on and on, on about coach ‘Rah,’ but he’s like genuinely one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around in my professional career, for sure, but just in general me forever playing football. He’s one of the best leaders and the way he challenges guys and brings the best out of them. It’s something that’s honestly special and that’s something that any of these vacancies out here. If they could get a guy like him, they in good hands, they in a good position. So, I think he’s earned it and he deserves an opportunity at least to be a head coach. I think that would be something really special and dope for him. But if not, then we just going to be on people’s necks next year. We’re just going take what we’ve done this year and build on it.”
The Rams would love to have Morris back as their defensive coordinator after the job he did this season, but they can’t prevent him from taking a head coaching job – nor would Sean McVay want to. McVay takes pride in seeing his assistant coaches get greater opportunities elsewhere, even if it means he has to go through the difficult task of replacing them.
Ramsey knows Morris is deserving of a head coaching opportunity but if he doesn’t land the Vikings job or another one somewhere else, Ramsey will be thrilled to have him leading the defense again in 2022.