Redskins Add Raheem Morris to Coaching Staff

For Immediate Release
January 23, 2012

REDSKINS ADD RAHEEM MORRIS TO COACHING STAFF

ASHBURN, Va. – The Washington Redskins announced today that they have hired Raheem Morris as Defensive Backs Coach.

Morris, 35, spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after having been hired as the league’s youngest head coach in 2009. In 2010, his team finished with a 10-6 record one season removed from finishing 3-13, marking the best single-season turnaround in the NFL in 2010 and the largest turnaround in Buccaneers’ history.

Prior to his tenure as head coach, Morris served in multiple capacities with the Buccaneers during two different stints with the team. He spent two seasons as the team’s defensive backs coach from 2007-08, during which time the Buccaneers allowed only 170.5 passing yards per game, the lowest total in the NFC and the second-lowest total in the league. In those two seasons, the Buccaneers totaled 22 interceptions, tied for the most in the NFC.

Morris spent one year as the defensive coordinator at Kansas State University in 2006. Morris helped garner conference recognition for seven players on his defensive unit, including two first-team All-Big 12 honorees and one second-team selection.

Morris’ NFL coaching debut came in 2002, when he served as the defensive quality control coach for the Buccaneers en route to the team’s first championship in Super Bowl XXXVII. That season, the Buccaneers’ defense allowed a league-low 12.3 points per game, the third-lowest average allowed by an NFL team since 2000. He served as a defensive assistant in 2003 and as an assistant defensive backs coach from 2004-05.

During his 10 seasons with the Buccaneers, Tampa Bay finished ranked in the Top 5 in the NFL in total defense five times, including No. 1 rankings in 2002 and 2005. Additionally, the defense finished as the top-ranked pass defense on three occasions (2002, 2004 and 2007) and seventh or better in seven of 10 seasons with Morris on the staff.

Morris began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Hofstra in 1998, where he was responsible for coaching the offensive scout team, developing scouting reports and handling video breakdown and computer input and analysis. He then landed at Cornell University as defensive backs coach and special teams assistant for the 1999 season. Morris joined Tampa Bay after spending 2000-01 seasons as defensive backs coach at Hofstra University. He also spent time in the fall of 2001 with the New York Jets, serving a defensive minority internship.

Morris played collegiately as a safety at Hofstra from 1994-97, and received his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. Morris, an Irvington, N.J. native, was presented the Key to the City in his hometown during “Raheem Morris Day” on June 5, 2009.

I dream of Raheem

Does this mean an end to corners playing 10 yds off receivers on 3rd and 5?

Sure does Dave, but now the linebackers will play 10 yards off on 3rd and 1.

Neophyte said:

Sure does Dave, but now the linebackers will play 10 yards off on 3rd and 1.

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Fair trade off.

Hiring Morris as DB coach was a coup - what a great move for the organization. Now if only Shanahan had the balls to fire Slowik....oh well. Hopefully he doesn't damage our LBs too badly.

NavyDave said:

Does this mean an end to corners playing 10 yds off receivers on 3rd and 5?

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Wait!

You mean that's not a rule?

Interesting: Morris turned down the Vikings defensive coordinator position to come coach DBs for the Redskins. Good sign for the future? Who knows. Maybe he just wanted less responsibility for awhile, or maybe he thinks the Redskins have a better chance of winning in the future.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...ordinator-job/2012/01/26/gIQAzWZ0SQ_blog.html

A man who stands by his word. I like him a lot already. He brings instant coaching credibility to an area of weakness for the team. Very nice pickup.

Lanky Livingston said:

Interesting: Morris turned down the Vikings defensive coordinator position to come coach DBs for the Redskins. Good sign for the future? Who knows. Maybe he just wanted less responsibility for awhile, or maybe he thinks the Redskins have a better chance of winning in the future.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...ordinator-job/2012/01/26/gIQAzWZ0SQ_blog.html

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Come on, we're talking about the Vikings

I mean, the Redskins aren't exactly paradise right now, but compared to the current state of the VIKINGS, we are

Good article... Makes me feel good about his arrival here in DC.

http://sportsradiointerviews.com/2012/02/14/nfl-tampa-bay-buccaneers-raheem-morris-redskins/

Elephant said:

Good article... Makes me feel good about his arrival here in DC.

http://sportsradiointerviews.com/2012/02/14/nfl-tampa-bay-buccaneers-raheem-morris-redskins/

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I'll offer a feeble hope that he works out but I'd feel a whole lot better if we just grabbed some premium db coach from a proven winner rather than the ex head coach of the 4-12 Bucs. (Well, yeah he did have some success as db coach in Tampa.)
And of course, having given the Skins a verbal acceptance taking the Minnesota job would not be a wise move career wise as that's the kind of snub future NFL employers would not look kindly on.

B.

Brander said:

And of course, having given the Skins a verbal acceptance taking the Minnesota job would not be a wise move career wise as that's the kind of snub future NFL employers would not look kindly on.

B.

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Not sure I get your logic. If the man made an agreement with a team, and was offered a better position elsewhere after yet stayed with his commitment, that is admirable.

Elephant said:

Not sure I get your logic. If the man made an agreement with a team, and was offered a better position elsewhere after yet stayed with his commitment, that is admirable.

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It may be admirable and it may just be prudent. Oral contracts are considered legally binding and when you look at it from that point of view did he even have a choice? What I'm also saying is if he had decided to take a better offer after giving Washington an oral OK then sometime down the road when he is applying for another job there might be some hesitation to hire him, as another employer might say, "Oh, that's the guy that agreed to terms with Washington and then welshed."

B.

Brander said:

It may be admirable and it may just be prudent. Oral contracts are considered legally binding and when you look at it from that point of view did he even have a choice? What I'm also saying is if he had decided to take a better offer after giving Washington an oral OK then sometime down the road when he is applying for another job there might be some hesitation to hire him, as another employer might say, "Oh, that's the guy that agreed to terms with Washington and then welshed."

B.

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Completely misread your post. I thought you said he was wrong for not taking the job in Minny. It was late, I wasn't wearing my glasses, my dog ate my homework.

But I still think that is flawed logic. If he was offered a lateral position, I would say he would have trouble in the future, but I am sure Shanahan would have released him of the obligation for a better position than he was offered here. I don't think that would have caused him grief in the future.

The FAs and players that we draft could produce another solid offseason. However, when the 2012 season is in the books, I think we will look at Raheem Morris' addition to the staff as being one of the best moves of this offseason.

Elephant said:

Completely misread your post. I thought you said he was wrong for not taking the job in Minny. It was late, I wasn't wearing my glasses, my dog ate my homework.

But I still think that is flawed logic. If he was offered a lateral position, I would say he would have trouble in the future, but I am sure Shanahan would have released him of the obligation for a better position than he was offered here. I don't think that would have caused him grief in the future.

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No problem, I understand and you may be right, "Shanahan"might have let him go and it might not be a problem for him in the future. But nobody is under contract to Shanahan, they are under contract to Snyder and who wants to predict what he might do? I never thought he would sue unemployed Redskin fans who can't afford to pay their season ticket contracts but he does!

B.

Brander said:

No problem, I understand and you may be right, "Shanahan"might have let him go and it might not be a problem for him in the future. But nobody is under contract to Shanahan, they are under contract to Snyder and who wants to predict what he might do? I never thought he would sue unemployed Redskin fans who can't afford to pay their season ticket contracts but he does!

B.

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Come on Brander, all NFL teams sue fans who are delinquent on payments, but that's for another discussion.

While under contract with Snyder, Raheem Morris was hired by Shanahan and Allen. Now you are playing semantics.

I agree with you on this one BB. I like this hire and I am wondering if by the end of the year there aren't bigger plans in store for Coach Morris here in Washington.

What do you mean El? You think they may want to replace Haslett with him? I thought Haslett's unit rebounded nicely after a horrible first season.

Goaldeje said:

What do you mean El? You think they may want to replace Haslett with him? I thought Haslett's unit rebounded nicely after a horrible first season.

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Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me to see Haslett gone, but more likely a different title and some cash to keep Morris around if he has success with our DB's.