Mike Tomlin: “(LA Rams DC) Raheem Morris is the best coach I know”

One of the most undervalued aspects of the LA Rams’ transition to the 2022 NFL season is the return of Super Bowl LVI-winning defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. The Rams will enjoy the same defensive philosophy, defensive coordinator, and defensive objectives. That is something the team has not had for the past three seasons.

I’ve touched base on the benefits of the return of LA Rams DC Raheem Morris to the team breaking that pattern of a new year translating into a new defensive coordinator. With the return, everyone around him knows what to expect. There is no need to clarify, guess, or spitball what the defense is about. This defense has been constructed to Morris’ specs.  What are those specs?

It’s clear that the LA Rams front office has a new perspective on the way this defense is being built.  The team has invested a valuable pick in drafting promising inside linebacker Ernest Jones in 2021, and signing All-Pro inside linebacker Bobby Wagner in 2022. See the pattern?

Morris is head coach material

Morris loves to play zone defense. Starting DB Darious Williams, who excels at man coverage, signed elsewhere. The team traded for former starting DB Troy Hill, who excels at zone coverage. It’s a pattern that may be blatantly obvious, or quite subtle. But the team is moving to Raheem Morris’s style of defense.

I think you will love the final product.

But other teams will love that final product too. And that is when the LA Rams fall back into the pattern of losing their defensive coordinator.  It’s coming.  Don’t just take my word for it. Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin sees it, and he talks about it in this episode of Pivot Podcast with hosts

Mike Tomlin is a seasoned head coach. He knows the characteristics that are needed to succeed in the job and to succeed in the NFL.  He starts to talk about LA Rams at the 7:30 mark (it’s a 1-hour 30-minute video if you want to watch the entire episode):

"“I’ve been in coaching all my adult life. I’ve been in the National Football League for over 20 years. I know the coaches, and I know some of the guys being denied are in the top 32. (LA Rams defensive coordinator) Raheem Morris is the best coach I know and have ever been around that don’t have a head (coaching) job. And I don’t have a problem saying that.” – Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin per the Pivot Podcast (above)"

That is a huge endorsement for Morris and comes right on the heels of his helping to lead the LA Rams to their first Super Bowl victory for the city of Los Angeles.

It was Raheem Morris who persuaded retired defensive back Eric Weddle to come back to the Rams for their post-season run. It was Morris who entrusted hard-hitting DB Nick Scott to start in the most important four games of the season. It was Morris who got the most out of the defense, despite Leonard Floyd playing the entire season on one bad wheel and Jalen Ramsey playing all year with two bad shoulders.

So many called for the Rams to fire Morris in 2021. You may get your wish at the end of this year. I’ll be curious how fans will react once he’s gone. Imagine if the team wins Super Bowl LVII as well? I suspect more will miss him than we realize.