‘A different vibe’: Amid upheaval and controversy, Raheem Morris seeks to bring a new culture to Atlanta

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — There’s juice around this Atlanta Falcons team, a vibe that hasn’t buzzed like this since the Julio Jones-Matt Ryan era, maybe not even since the days of Michael Vick. There is talent in the building, proven talent and young talent who have the ability on paper to do real damage in a still weak NFC South. The roster alone has enough potential to put the Falcons on the must-play list heading into the 2024 season.

Then there’s the let’s check out this train wreck element. After Atlanta signed Kirk Cousins ​​to a $180 million contract, then turned around and spent the No. 8 pick on Michael Penix Jr., there’s also plenty of interest in the rubbers.

Add to the mix a motivated new head coach with experience on Super Bowl-winning teams, and you have a team that is reshaping itself on the fly. Certainly, changing the culture of a team at the best of times is like transforming a cruise ship. But changing the culture of an entire team, after redoing the entire quarterback room, is a level of difficulty comparable to that of changing a tire while driving on the highway.

Raheem Morris, the new head coach, therefore disputes the idea that he is changing the entire culture of the Falcons. “The culture here is really well structured from top to bottom,” Morris said Tuesday. “I’m not changing what we do in terms of ideas, innovation, people-first mentality. But we add to it.

Morris runs all over the field during Atlanta’s practices, watching and sometimes shouting as Cousins, Penix and Taylor Heinicke alternate throws to first-team receivers. He also keeps things loose off the field; during one of his first press conferences, he joked that a reporter who arrived late would be doing tricks the next time this happened. At least he seemed to joke.

“Coaches sometimes try to pick on someone and they say, ‘Sorry, I’m not picking on you,'” safety Jessie Bates III said. “Rah said, ‘I am come after you. I want you to get better. I expect more from you.

It’s still early, but the early days of the Morris era have garnered positive reviews. “What I can see right now is an enthusiasm, a passion,” said linebacker Kaden Elliss, who started all 17 games for Atlanta last year. “I’m so excited to work with these guys. They are not only extraordinary football coaches, they are extraordinary men. The energy they bring is impressive and it hasn’t diminished yet. »

“It’s a friendly environment,” says linebacker Troy Andersen. “You are able to work hard and work hard, but be supported in every aspect. They’re doing a great job with nutrition, the weight room, the training room, the coaching staff – it’s been great so far.

“I want to bring a different vibe to this room,” Morris said. “I want to bring a different vibe to our team.”

The vibrations are good, the vibrations make the team facilities vibrate. But vibes don’t necessarily translate into wins. When you’re coming off three straight 7-10 seasons, when your playoff drought is longer than anyone besides the Jets and Broncos, when you just made the most controversial first-round pick in years, vibrations alone are not going to cut it. Beyond the vibes, Morris established a different identity and approach than Arthur Smith had established during his three years as head coach.

“I would never say the culture at Arthur Smith was bad,” Morris said. “It was his style, it was his technique, it was the way he wanted to do things. Now all we have to do is change what we want to do.

At this point in the offseason, Atlanta is not yet in game mode. The Falcons are not even in training camp mode. “We’re not even at the point where you want to say you’re ready for training camp practice,” Morris said, “but we’re getting ready to do it.”

“What makes it so unique about Rah is that Rah is involved in the offense and the defense,” Bates said. “When we have our team meetings, they are some of the best team meetings I have ever been to. »

So for now, it’s all smiles and optimism in Flowery Branch as the team moves forward through the playbook. Once the beatings begin, the verdicts will begin to roll in.

“He wants to play fast, play free, be physical,” Andersen said. “Once we get towels on, it’s going to be really fun.”