1
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,680
Speaker 1: What is up everybody? Tory Mcaleney, Tarren Walk and I'm

2
00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,960
Speaker 1: the sub han here. We are coming to you, what

3
00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:11,600
Speaker 1: like twenty four hours post Raheem morris introductory press conference.

4
00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:12,760
Speaker 1: I know you're really big on time.

5
00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:15,920
Speaker 2: It's over over nine minutes past twenty four hours from

6
00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,400
Speaker 2: the start conference. Okay, we were really now ur nine minutes,

7
00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:23,680
Speaker 2: We're really close, but we're Monday one, nine minutes. There

8
00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:24,599
Speaker 2: you go, he started.

9
00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:28,560
Speaker 1: Okay, So now that everybody has the timing of point

10
00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,040
Speaker 1: this is being recorded. We're coming off of this press

11
00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:35,360
Speaker 1: conference where Raheem Morris was officially introduced as the Atlanta

12
00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,600
Speaker 1: Falcons head coach. And it's coming about what ten eleven

13
00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,200
Speaker 1: days after the news initially hit, and they what they've

14
00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,080
Speaker 1: been doing, I guess as is building a staff out

15
00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:49,920
Speaker 1: like that's been the main point of the last ten days.

16
00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:51,680
Speaker 1: And this is really the first time that we've had

17
00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,880
Speaker 1: a chance to talk to not only Raheem Morris in

18
00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,280
Speaker 1: this role, but also first time that we've had the

19
00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,600
Speaker 1: chance to talk to Terry Fontno since the season ended,

20
00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,680
Speaker 1: since partying ways with Arthur Smith. So it really did

21
00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,840
Speaker 1: feel like this was day one of something new. I

22
00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:12,960
Speaker 1: kind of want to just start off getting y'all's initial

23
00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,760
Speaker 1: reaction to the press conference as a whole, Like, what

24
00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:18,720
Speaker 1: what when you were in there, when you were listening

25
00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:23,640
Speaker 1: to Rahem and Terry and Greg Beatle as a team president,

26
00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,600
Speaker 1: what were the vibes Like, were the vibes high as

27
00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:27,680
Speaker 1: what we're curious about?

28
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:28,600
Speaker 3: Immaculate?

29
00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:29,360
Speaker 1: Immaculate?

30
00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:30,600
Speaker 2: I don't know if I go that far.

31
00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:33,800
Speaker 1: It did say when he like sat down, He's like,

32
00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:35,440
Speaker 1: this seems like a tight group, Like y'all gott to

33
00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:36,479
Speaker 1: loosen up a little bit.

34
00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,080
Speaker 2: Yeah. But I think that's what stuck out to me

35
00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,160
Speaker 2: most is it didn't seem like this was a new guy,

36
00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,280
Speaker 2: because I mean, he is back. He was here for

37
00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:49,320
Speaker 2: six years, back a few years ago. The years themselves

38
00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,120
Speaker 2: are escaping my mind. Was it two thousands?

39
00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,080
Speaker 1: He was here until twenty twenty? Yeah, so twenty twenty

40
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,320
Speaker 1: minus six years is when he started. Twenty fifteen was

41
00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:55,960
Speaker 1: when he got here.

42
00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,160
Speaker 2: Math I feel like all the numbers are just running

43
00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:00,880
Speaker 2: through my mind at once when I think about all

44
00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:05,000
Speaker 2: the different people that were interviewed. But it didn't feel like, hey,

45
00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,200
Speaker 2: like this is a new guy, you need him meet him.

46
00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,760
Speaker 2: He was like naming people left and right in the crowd,

47
00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,040
Speaker 2: like he knew you from when you worked here in

48
00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,880
Speaker 2: twenty twenty, and he was here did not know me.

49
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,720
Speaker 2: But that's okay. He will now, And I think that's

50
00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,840
Speaker 2: something that'll help when there are so many and we'll

51
00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:24,880
Speaker 2: get into the staff, I'm sure when there are so

52
00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:29,000
Speaker 2: many returning staff members from last year already that it's

53
00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:30,679
Speaker 2: not like there's this brand new guy who's going to

54
00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,960
Speaker 2: come shake things up. It just feels like a continuation

55
00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:35,919
Speaker 2: with a new front face.

56
00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, like kind of like a new energy inserted in.

57
00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:41,840
Speaker 1: Oh he had energy, right, Oh yeah, I don't think

58
00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:44,800
Speaker 1: he stopped smiling the entire time like we were. It

59
00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,040
Speaker 1: was like, oh so yeah. It's like that infectious energy

60
00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,000
Speaker 1: that I felt like everybody always talks about with Raheem.

61
00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,120
Speaker 1: And it was something that even when I was covering

62
00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,639
Speaker 1: the team in twenty twenty, you could feel it through

63
00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,839
Speaker 1: a zoom call because that was when COVID protocols were

64
00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,520
Speaker 1: saying COVID was a the the PANDEMI was in full

65
00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:05,720
Speaker 1: swing and you could feel that energy I think through

66
00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,280
Speaker 1: that screen and seeing him in person, it was like

67
00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,040
Speaker 1: the person who I saw through through a zoom call,

68
00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,359
Speaker 1: through a team's call was the exact same person who

69
00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,040
Speaker 1: was sitting up there at that podium. And whether or

70
00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,600
Speaker 1: not we were, I think in a press conference scenario,

71
00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:21,760
Speaker 1: you had a one on one walk and talk with him.

72
00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:24,000
Speaker 2: I ran into a gatoraide bench.

73
00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:26,480
Speaker 1: She did do that. It's fine, she's fine, don't worry.

74
00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,320
Speaker 1: But we were. He was the same guy regardless of

75
00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:32,600
Speaker 1: where we were, and I think that is something that

76
00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,760
Speaker 1: doesn't always happen when you have that many eyes on you,

77
00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,480
Speaker 1: and I thought that was pretty refreshing to see.

78
00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,960
Speaker 3: He talked a lot about coming home. Yeah, he's a

79
00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,320
Speaker 3: New Jersey native, but like he feels like Atlanta is

80
00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,560
Speaker 3: home and while you know, maybees were born here, Yeah no,

81
00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,680
Speaker 3: And while this is like, you know, a returning thing,

82
00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,920
Speaker 3: it definitely felt like a fresh a fresh start on

83
00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:56,000
Speaker 3: like a new page in this organization.

84
00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:58,200
Speaker 1: Yeah. No, that's a good point. And it's it's funny

85
00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,240
Speaker 1: too that that you talk about like coming home, because

86
00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,880
Speaker 1: that was such a big talking point of all day yesterday,

87
00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:06,920
Speaker 1: the whole entire day. He was talking about this whole

88
00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,160
Speaker 1: idea of coming home. And he's right, he said this

89
00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,720
Speaker 1: on the plane on the way here. That not often

90
00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,000
Speaker 1: in the NFL. Do you get the opportunity as a

91
00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,000
Speaker 1: coach to come home or to go back to a

92
00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:20,479
Speaker 1: place where you were especially so recent. That's that's what's

93
00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,000
Speaker 1: so crazy about all of this, is like we're talking

94
00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,080
Speaker 1: about recent history that he was here, not like years

95
00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,279
Speaker 1: and years ago, Like this happened within three years. So

96
00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,400
Speaker 1: the fact that he can kind of tell you about

97
00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,880
Speaker 1: the moments of the of the history that really spoke

98
00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,080
Speaker 1: to him. I mean, Ana, there was a story that

99
00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,760
Speaker 1: you wrote after the press conference ended, and I thought

100
00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:43,760
Speaker 1: that it was one of those stories that we could

101
00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:48,480
Speaker 1: have overlooked. These comments that he made about how impactful

102
00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:51,320
Speaker 1: the Super Bowl loss in the at the end of

103
00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:55,080
Speaker 1: the twenty sixteen year into twenty seventeen, how that impacted him,

104
00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:56,320
Speaker 1: We could have looked over that.

105
00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:57,480
Speaker 2: I'm sure some people would have had.

106
00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:58,760
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I'm sure some people.

107
00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:00,800
Speaker 3: I heard I heard you on Twitter, right.

108
00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:02,520
Speaker 1: Yeah, we know we don't want to talk about it.

109
00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,000
Speaker 1: But I thought that I actually was very profound the

110
00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:08,479
Speaker 1: way that Raheem Morris kind of looked the elephant in

111
00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,200
Speaker 1: the room up and down and was like, I'm I'm

112
00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:14,240
Speaker 1: gonna I'm I'm gonna welcome it in because it was

113
00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:18,000
Speaker 1: the seven year anniversary of that Super Bowl loss, and

114
00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,720
Speaker 1: I think a lot of people could have just bypassed that,

115
00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,640
Speaker 1: but he actually made a point to talk about it,

116
00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:25,720
Speaker 1: and I'm not I kind of wanted since you wrote

117
00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,479
Speaker 1: the story, I kind of wanted you to lay that out.

118
00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,240
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, And I love a good parallel moment, like

119
00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,080
Speaker 3: full circle moment, Like I was, like, it is February fifth, yea,

120
00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,640
Speaker 3: like this time seven years ago. Maybe not this time exactly, Terran.

121
00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,720
Speaker 2: I know, now we're weird at times, but like I'm

122
00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:40,560
Speaker 2: sure it was at night.

123
00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:43,679
Speaker 1: I'm yeah, of course. Yeah.

124
00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,159
Speaker 3: So but for him, like he he said that that's

125
00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:50,040
Speaker 3: the loss that's stuck with him the most. It's stung

126
00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:52,640
Speaker 3: the most in his you know, entire career that dates

127
00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,080
Speaker 3: back to like ninety eight when the Falcons were you know,

128
00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,640
Speaker 3: in their first Super Bowl, right, But he's ready to

129
00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,280
Speaker 3: get redemption. And I I love that attitude and like

130
00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:03,360
Speaker 3: just wanting to change that narrative.

131
00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,640
Speaker 1: And yeah, yeah, no, that was something that I think

132
00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:10,279
Speaker 1: when I was listening to him talk, he was using

133
00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,160
Speaker 1: you know, obviously the buzzwords of like we want to

134
00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,839
Speaker 1: change the narrative and using the word like redemption. But

135
00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,839
Speaker 1: it was something that even in using kind of those buzzwords,

136
00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:20,760
Speaker 1: it was something that I genuinely felt.

137
00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:23,800
Speaker 3: Yeah, it felt very personal for him, right yeah, And

138
00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,400
Speaker 3: therefore it kind of took that next step forward from

139
00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,080
Speaker 3: just like you know, saying it front facing like of

140
00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:30,960
Speaker 3: course we want to you know, win now and we

141
00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:32,160
Speaker 3: want to win championships.

142
00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,600
Speaker 1: Yeah. No. And it's it's interesting too because I think

143
00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:37,799
Speaker 1: I said this on the radio or some other podcasts.

144
00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,240
Speaker 1: I can't remember where I saw just to me prob yeah,

145
00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,320
Speaker 1: also probably just to Tarn in the car or something.

146
00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,520
Speaker 1: So what I found so interesting is that I actually

147
00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:48,440
Speaker 1: think that this was a smart move by Rahiem to

148
00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:50,960
Speaker 1: bring this up, because it shows the fans that he

149
00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,200
Speaker 1: can relate to them, like this is someone who's like,

150
00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,160
Speaker 1: I know your pain because I was on that field.

151
00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,920
Speaker 1: We've gone through some stuff together to a certain ext,

152
00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:04,000
Speaker 1: we're trauma bonded. Let's be honest, Like that was not fun.

153
00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,160
Speaker 1: It was not a fun time for the organization. So

154
00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:10,520
Speaker 1: him sitting there being like it hurt me, like to

155
00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,880
Speaker 1: my core to the point where it's like I have

156
00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:17,560
Speaker 1: to come back here and do something better for this organization.

157
00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:19,280
Speaker 1: I want to be a part of better for this

158
00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:19,880
Speaker 1: organ and.

159
00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,520
Speaker 3: He knows how to do that now. I mean, like

160
00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:23,880
Speaker 3: he won obviously in Tampa Bay, but like as the

161
00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,000
Speaker 3: defensive coordinator, he went to LA he learned some lessons

162
00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:28,960
Speaker 3: and he's ready to bring it here to Atlanta.

163
00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:33,480
Speaker 1: Yeah. So it's interesting too because we're talking about this

164
00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:36,800
Speaker 1: whole energy shift with him. We're talking about how he

165
00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:40,640
Speaker 1: connects to the fan base. But Taren, I'm really curious

166
00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,760
Speaker 1: to know your point of view, like from the points

167
00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:46,440
Speaker 1: of being able to pull what Terry Fontna said about

168
00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,640
Speaker 1: the interview process. This is an interview process that we

169
00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:54,440
Speaker 1: know is pretty extensive. Fourteen interviews or fourteen candidates over

170
00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:58,040
Speaker 1: the course of eighteen days, eighteen interviews. What did you

171
00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,000
Speaker 1: get from or what could you glean from what Terry

172
00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,520
Speaker 1: Fontno said one about the interview process and how they

173
00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:04,920
Speaker 1: eventually landed on Raheem.

174
00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,880
Speaker 2: So this story is to come. But one thing that

175
00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,000
Speaker 2: really stood out to me and is why I wanted

176
00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,440
Speaker 2: to write about it. It was both Greg Beatles.

177
00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:14,440
Speaker 1: And yeah, Terry Fono.

178
00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:19,240
Speaker 2: They were both saying how like they really appreciated Raheem's

179
00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,360
Speaker 2: transparency when it came to like I wasn't the best

180
00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,400
Speaker 2: head coach back in the day. I have learned so

181
00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,559
Speaker 2: much since those days, and this is what I've learned.

182
00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:32,319
Speaker 2: They're like, he was vulnerable about it, and he expressed

183
00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,960
Speaker 2: in those interviews and they saw a change in him

184
00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:37,440
Speaker 2: how he can now be better, how he isn't the

185
00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:39,800
Speaker 2: same guy in twenty twenty, or how he isn't the

186
00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,240
Speaker 2: same guy when he was with Tampa Bay, and that

187
00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,840
Speaker 2: really stuck with them, and they said his energy was contagious,

188
00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,480
Speaker 2: which we've already talked about. So it'll be interesting to

189
00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:53,080
Speaker 2: see if he can back those words up right, because

190
00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:55,679
Speaker 2: obviously results speak louder than anything else.

191
00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:57,920
Speaker 1: Yeah, And he even said, like what was the quote

192
00:08:57,920 --> 00:08:59,800
Speaker 1: where he was like, I know, you can only.

193
00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:01,160
Speaker 2: Say you can't going to show you.

194
00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:03,240
Speaker 1: Yeah, you can only say you can say it, But

195
00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:05,240
Speaker 1: I'm the only way people believe you is if you

196
00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,920
Speaker 1: show it. Yeah, if there's actual physical evidence.

197
00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,880
Speaker 2: So he's aware there's pressure in that regard to show

198
00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:14,080
Speaker 2: you aren't the same person you were in twenty twenty

199
00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,760
Speaker 2: when you were in Tampa Bay, because there have been

200
00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:18,920
Speaker 2: a lot of learning moments, Because that was a fair

201
00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,320
Speaker 2: question to ask, like what is difference between now and then?

202
00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:23,760
Speaker 2: The Falcons didn't hire him as a head coach back

203
00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,160
Speaker 2: in twenty twenty one after he was the interim Why

204
00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,360
Speaker 2: is that? Why is now the right time? But they

205
00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,480
Speaker 2: stood by it because he has changed and you can

206
00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:36,200
Speaker 2: grow through those lessons and see how it plays out now.

207
00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:40,200
Speaker 2: I think it's a partial risk, but I do believe

208
00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:40,920
Speaker 2: in second chances.

209
00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:43,720
Speaker 3: Love a good second chance. Yeah, And I found it

210
00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,880
Speaker 3: really interesting that he went to the RAMS and he

211
00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,440
Speaker 3: was thirty two when he got that job in Tampa Bay.

212
00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,400
Speaker 3: That's really young. Sean McVay was thirty one, so he

213
00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,680
Speaker 3: was able to see how a guy did it. And

214
00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,120
Speaker 3: he talked about how he felt jealous of the relationship

215
00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:01,720
Speaker 3: between Less and Sneed and Sean McVay, and you can

216
00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:05,080
Speaker 3: kind of I don't know exactly what that dynamic looks like,

217
00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:08,600
Speaker 3: but yeah, I mean, and you can see a building

218
00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:10,400
Speaker 3: like they look like they're having fun, just like in

219
00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:11,320
Speaker 3: two days together.

220
00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:12,640
Speaker 1: That was a huge takeaway.

221
00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:13,719
Speaker 2: Those two were growing out.

222
00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:15,400
Speaker 1: They really were.

223
00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:16,280
Speaker 2: They were best friends.

224
00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:17,720
Speaker 1: Like shout out to our social team.

225
00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:21,320
Speaker 3: They have like a law ad meme, which was great.

226
00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:23,920
Speaker 1: I saw that and I was like, guys, are we

227
00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,120
Speaker 1: really that's funny. I hope everybody else gets to see

228
00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:32,000
Speaker 1: that soon. You know, something that I really thought was

229
00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:35,520
Speaker 1: interesting about the interview process and everything like that was

230
00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:37,840
Speaker 1: we haven't heard from Terry Fono. I made mention of

231
00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,439
Speaker 1: that earlier. We hadn't heard from Terry Fonna to this point,

232
00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,360
Speaker 1: but he was the one that was leading all of

233
00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,280
Speaker 1: these interviews, and I thought that what he was talking about.

234
00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:51,160
Speaker 1: I think he even said, like when Raheem, when we

235
00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,200
Speaker 1: were talking to Raheem, like we felt like that this

236
00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:57,080
Speaker 1: is who we need. And I think to have your

237
00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:01,200
Speaker 1: general manager and then your whole search committee, the group

238
00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:06,840
Speaker 1: of people that ultimately came helped Arthur Blank to this decision.

239
00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,120
Speaker 1: To me, I think you're having Terry Fonna say that,

240
00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:13,840
Speaker 1: it means a lot because that is a relationship that

241
00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:17,840
Speaker 1: is very, very important, the general manager and head coach relationship.

242
00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:19,640
Speaker 1: I mean, they get fifty to fifty and they're reporting

243
00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:23,360
Speaker 1: straight to Arthur Blank, like that relationship has to be

244
00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:25,120
Speaker 1: on the same level.

245
00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:26,760
Speaker 2: And I don't think they wanted to change that. So

246
00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,120
Speaker 2: I think that's why Terry Fonto I got it. I

247
00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:31,040
Speaker 2: kept wanting to say fat not, but it's not that

248
00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:37,920
Speaker 2: that tea is silent in tin. Yeah, but nonetheless, the.

249
00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:38,680
Speaker 1: Tea is silent.

250
00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:39,040
Speaker 2: Unlikely.

251
00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:40,360
Speaker 1: Now I am silent.

252
00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:47,600
Speaker 2: Because now that they made it clear Terry and Raheem

253
00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:51,880
Speaker 2: will be reporting to Arthur, you needed Terry's input to

254
00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,840
Speaker 2: maybe matter the most when it came to the collaboration

255
00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:57,839
Speaker 2: to be working outside of the coaching staff, like that

256
00:11:57,960 --> 00:11:59,800
Speaker 2: dynamic has to be golden. They got to be the

257
00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,000
Speaker 2: they got to be the besties. Did we just become

258
00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:02,800
Speaker 2: best friends? They did?

259
00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,640
Speaker 1: They did, but really and it kind of feels that

260
00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,480
Speaker 1: way to seeing them interact together. Something that came up

261
00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:12,559
Speaker 1: that I do feel like we need to talk about

262
00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,640
Speaker 1: is the quarterback. And here's what I'll say about this.

263
00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:20,760
Speaker 1: You knew it was gonna be a question going into question,

264
00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:23,839
Speaker 1: multiple questions, because that, outside of who is going to

265
00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:25,640
Speaker 1: be the head coach, who's going to be the starting

266
00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,880
Speaker 1: quarterback in twenty twenty four is the biggest question that

267
00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:32,200
Speaker 1: the Falcons have to answer this offseason bar none. So

268
00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:34,440
Speaker 1: that was of course going to be a question, and

269
00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:38,960
Speaker 1: I thought it was interesting that Raheem answered it, like,

270
00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:42,560
Speaker 1: you know, we have had conversations, but those have been

271
00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,480
Speaker 1: kind of preliminary conversations. They've been brief, they've been in passing.

272
00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:48,319
Speaker 2: He hit that minimize button he did.

273
00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:52,040
Speaker 1: He was like, what yine? And so he it really

274
00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:54,880
Speaker 1: was like, you know, we're gonna explore every avenue. It

275
00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:59,080
Speaker 1: was interesting because I was also seeing some things on

276
00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:04,480
Speaker 1: Twitter or the formerly known as Twitter. There were some

277
00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:08,480
Speaker 1: people saying like, do they not have a plan at quarterback? Yes,

278
00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,080
Speaker 1: like they have a plan. I think that that response

279
00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:14,280
Speaker 1: was less about oh, they haven't talked about it. They

280
00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,679
Speaker 1: don't have a plan, like the combine's coming out, Like

281
00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,800
Speaker 1: I think it's what I feel. It's less about. There's

282
00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:22,960
Speaker 1: less we're just running on caffeine at this point, you guys,

283
00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:27,680
Speaker 1: it's less about that, And I think it's more about

284
00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,560
Speaker 1: them holding the cards close to their chest. They have

285
00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:32,600
Speaker 1: a plan. You cannot tell me that they have not

286
00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:33,240
Speaker 1: talked about that.

287
00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:37,000
Speaker 2: But I also think it's fair that he was prioritizing

288
00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:42,320
Speaker 2: his staff because they keep preaching this collaborative, collaborative, collaborative collaboration. Right,

289
00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,040
Speaker 2: then you have to prioritize getting the people who are

290
00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:49,120
Speaker 2: gonna help make that decision together in a room and

291
00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,080
Speaker 2: then they can make it like, yes, they have the plan,

292
00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:52,960
Speaker 2: but you don't have the people a necessary in place

293
00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,400
Speaker 2: to completely execute it yet. So I do believe that Yeah,

294
00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:57,760
Speaker 2: it's been a conversation, but it's more so been in

295
00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,080
Speaker 2: passing until we have everyone we need. And I don't

296
00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:03,400
Speaker 2: think they're done hiring. The way he was like, we're

297
00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,079
Speaker 2: almost there, I was like, no, no, I want to

298
00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:07,800
Speaker 2: turn my phone off. It's like we want to have

299
00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:08,360
Speaker 2: a weekend.

300
00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:09,480
Speaker 1: No, we don't have it.

301
00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:11,560
Speaker 2: I don't think they're done. And you know what's coming

302
00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:13,319
Speaker 2: up the super Bowl?

303
00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:17,200
Speaker 1: I know. Yeah, no, good point. I think too. Thinks that.

304
00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,920
Speaker 1: I think too that, Like when I think about the

305
00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:24,840
Speaker 1: way that they answered any questions about the quarterback. I

306
00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,640
Speaker 1: thought it was interesting that Raheem made the point that

307
00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:30,840
Speaker 1: to say, like Atlanta knows what success looks like at

308
00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:34,200
Speaker 1: the quarterback position or not success, but knows like how

309
00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,440
Speaker 1: it wants what it wants a level at a high level,

310
00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,880
Speaker 1: like using kind of those words.

311
00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:40,120
Speaker 2: I was.

312
00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:43,240
Speaker 1: I was really intrigued by the use. I often like

313
00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,400
Speaker 1: care a lot about what people say, as I'm sure

314
00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:50,360
Speaker 1: we all do being journalists, but that was really interesting

315
00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:52,560
Speaker 1: when he was like, Atlanta knows what it's like to

316
00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,440
Speaker 1: see quarterback quarterbacking on a high level, and I you know,

317
00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:57,680
Speaker 1: he made quarter quarterbacking. Yeah.

318
00:14:58,080 --> 00:14:58,160
Speaker 3: Uh.

319
00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,480
Speaker 1: He made reference to Ryan of course, and then he

320
00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,920
Speaker 1: brought up Matthew Stafford with the Rams, who he's seen

321
00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:07,080
Speaker 1: in action for the last three seasons.

322
00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:10,160
Speaker 3: And we heard him talk about wanting an elite processor,

323
00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:12,800
Speaker 3: a good decision maker, you know, who's not going to

324
00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:17,320
Speaker 3: turn over the ball, who's going to also, like he said,

325
00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:19,640
Speaker 3: cut it loose and playball. So someone who can you know,

326
00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:21,080
Speaker 3: balance the two things.

327
00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:25,320
Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's something that obviously, that's what you hope

328
00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,720
Speaker 1: any quarterback like that's to be like the bare minimum,

329
00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,040
Speaker 1: like to be able to do those things. And so

330
00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:34,160
Speaker 1: I really do think, especially if you want to be successful.

331
00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:37,120
Speaker 1: But this is the biggest question that they have.

332
00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:39,600
Speaker 2: We know where his priorities lie right now. Considering when

333
00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:41,960
Speaker 2: he said what he was most excited about, he goes

334
00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:46,440
Speaker 2: Drake London, Jean Robinson. Yeah, obviously there's a quarterback question

335
00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:48,720
Speaker 2: mark in the back of his line of who's going

336
00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:50,400
Speaker 2: to be distributing the ball to those two?

337
00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,280
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, it matters, and you know to to kind

338
00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,000
Speaker 1: of look forward. And they didn't give us anything in

339
00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,080
Speaker 1: that press conference, whether it's like you know, they're like, oh,

340
00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:00,960
Speaker 1: we could go get a quarterback through the draft or

341
00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:05,560
Speaker 1: free agency or trade, like all avenues and it's like, Okay,

342
00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:06,520
Speaker 1: it's always good to have.

343
00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:09,360
Speaker 3: That flexibility because they can't do what they want in

344
00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:10,400
Speaker 3: either regard.

345
00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:13,520
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, you're right, and so let's move this forward.

346
00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,320
Speaker 1: The Falcons have their head coach, yes, they right, yet

347
00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:22,240
Speaker 1: they are building out their staff. It's nearly complete. So

348
00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,240
Speaker 1: what's next for this team? You know, we have combine

349
00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:28,600
Speaker 1: back to the quarterback. I know, right, honestly, we have

350
00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,240
Speaker 1: Combine coming up at the end of February. We have

351
00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:35,160
Speaker 1: pro days coming up in March. The new league year

352
00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:38,640
Speaker 1: starts March thirteenth, the free agency window opens up, and

353
00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,640
Speaker 1: you know, it kind of feels like we're finally to

354
00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:45,040
Speaker 1: the point where it's like this is We're through all

355
00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:48,160
Speaker 1: the hectic nature of a coaching search and finally they

356
00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:52,120
Speaker 1: can zero in on actually building out this team and

357
00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,200
Speaker 1: completing this team because they do already have so many

358
00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:59,240
Speaker 1: key pieces in place that I think even when I

359
00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,280
Speaker 1: look at this roster, it's like they're they should be

360
00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:05,000
Speaker 1: they I mean, I'll say it. The record should have

361
00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:08,439
Speaker 1: been better this year. Like Raheem Morris said, like, we

362
00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:11,600
Speaker 1: gotta win the South, Like that's literally literally, He's like

363
00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:13,159
Speaker 1: that is a goal. He's like, I don't want to

364
00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:15,880
Speaker 1: put any quantitative goals, but a goal is to win

365
00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:18,760
Speaker 1: the NFC South and that was a that was a

366
00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,159
Speaker 1: goal last year. That's something that when you looked at

367
00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:25,640
Speaker 1: the NFC South last year going into the season, you're like, well,

368
00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,000
Speaker 1: this could this should be the Falcons, Like if they

369
00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,280
Speaker 1: if they can produce, if they can score points, if

370
00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:33,280
Speaker 1: the defense can have an uptick, which you know the

371
00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,680
Speaker 1: defense did all of those things going into you felt

372
00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:39,080
Speaker 1: pretty good about it, and that's not what happened. And

373
00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,400
Speaker 1: so yeah, they're setting this goal in this expectation now

374
00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:47,600
Speaker 1: in February, and it needs to be reached. And so

375
00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,960
Speaker 1: how do they get there? What is next for this

376
00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:52,160
Speaker 1: team in y'all's mind.

377
00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:54,560
Speaker 2: I feel like with the combine coming up in pro

378
00:17:54,640 --> 00:18:00,840
Speaker 2: day's rapidly approaching, you start looking at the newcomers before

379
00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:05,520
Speaker 2: looking in free agency because I think they know a

380
00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:08,640
Speaker 2: bit about what the market might look like. I feel

381
00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:10,720
Speaker 2: like last year was yeah, well, I mean all the

382
00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,280
Speaker 2: all the balls are out on the court everything right, Yeah,

383
00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:14,760
Speaker 2: every lot of quarterbacks last year.

384
00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:17,320
Speaker 1: Yeah, the way that the like scouting cycle works, like

385
00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:19,640
Speaker 1: even in free agency, like they've been looking, they've known

386
00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:21,920
Speaker 1: for a year who's gonna be available next year. Yeah,

387
00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,320
Speaker 1: they already I think they already have I mean I

388
00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,239
Speaker 1: probably know they already have multiple targets of who they

389
00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:27,920
Speaker 1: want to go get.

390
00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,479
Speaker 2: And so with Pro Day's in the combine, they can

391
00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:33,639
Speaker 2: get a better look at the youngsters.

392
00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:35,479
Speaker 1: Right. And then you make a good point because they

393
00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,560
Speaker 1: actually are having their February meetings with the whole like

394
00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,680
Speaker 1: college scouting department. Literally, like as we speak, it's happening.

395
00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,640
Speaker 1: You gotta go find that room, right, And so those

396
00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:48,840
Speaker 1: are the things that are actively happening right now. So

397
00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,160
Speaker 1: you're kind of getting into the mindset of away from

398
00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,040
Speaker 1: a coaching surgeon into like, all right, here, let's look

399
00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:55,360
Speaker 1: at these college guys coming up.

400
00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,480
Speaker 2: The Senior bowlg just happened. So there was a look

401
00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,600
Speaker 2: at a few guys there. That's what's so crazy about

402
00:18:59,600 --> 00:18:59,879
Speaker 2: all this.

403
00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,960
Speaker 1: The senior ball has been a hotbed for this like

404
00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,560
Speaker 1: scouting department to like draft players who they have like

405
00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:09,320
Speaker 1: made good connections at the senior ball. We haven't even

406
00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:10,240
Speaker 1: talked about the scene.

407
00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:14,440
Speaker 2: You're than fifty percent of the past three draft classes

408
00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:15,560
Speaker 2: came from the senior bawl.

409
00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:17,479
Speaker 1: Right, And that just goes to show you how like

410
00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:21,439
Speaker 1: all encompassing this coaching search was how all encompassing getting

411
00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:23,680
Speaker 1: the assistance are I mean, we're gonna have the chance

412
00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:25,600
Speaker 1: to talk to the coordinators probably coming up in the

413
00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,360
Speaker 1: next week or so. There's a lot that was happening.

414
00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:30,119
Speaker 1: But also while this is happening, there's a ton of

415
00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:32,200
Speaker 1: stuff happening behind the scenes in terms of just getting

416
00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:35,960
Speaker 1: ready for the combine, getting ready for Prodey's senior ball

417
00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:39,840
Speaker 1: free agency. All that's coming up very very soon, and

418
00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:41,919
Speaker 1: it's gonna I mean, it's gonna be honest, before we

419
00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:42,520
Speaker 1: even know it.

420
00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:44,359
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's gonna be what honest?

421
00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:46,919
Speaker 1: Like running on us, I thought.

422
00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:48,199
Speaker 2: You said honest, and I was like, do you mean

423
00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,399
Speaker 2: August no, hon us.

424
00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:55,720
Speaker 3: Well, going back to even the press conference with Arthur

425
00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:58,640
Speaker 3: Blank and Rich McKay, like they felt like they were

426
00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:01,400
Speaker 3: so close in that the time is to win now

427
00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:04,000
Speaker 3: and they have their first check right, they have the

428
00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,600
Speaker 3: head coach, and there's a lot of talk about vision.

429
00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,159
Speaker 3: I mean, there was a great quote, what was it,

430
00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,159
Speaker 3: It's a mentality before it's ever a reality Like that

431
00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,439
Speaker 3: was the buzziest of the buzziest. But I loved it because, like,

432
00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,960
Speaker 3: at this point in February. Like, that's the like, yeah, nothing,

433
00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,080
Speaker 3: for lack of a better word, mentality that you have

434
00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:25,880
Speaker 3: to have until you can go and execute it right,

435
00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:27,320
Speaker 3: And now they have the chance to.

436
00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,440
Speaker 1: Do that in reality until it's August good point, yeah,

437
00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,000
Speaker 1: or September when the season starts.

438
00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:34,840
Speaker 2: I was in good training camp. Well preseason matters, toy.

439
00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:39,360
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's such a great note to end on because

440
00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:41,959
Speaker 1: y'all don't want to get into my preseason takes. So

441
00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,399
Speaker 1: thank you guys so much for just going over this

442
00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,120
Speaker 1: press conference. You know, like that was a lot yesterday.

443
00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:49,399
Speaker 1: I think we worked a lot, We put in a

444
00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,760
Speaker 1: lot of hours, but in the end, I thought it

445
00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:54,560
Speaker 1: was pretty fun. I thought it was pretty fun for

446
00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,240
Speaker 1: the fan base to get to see Raheem Morris in

447
00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,640
Speaker 1: action in all of his like smiling glory.

448
00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:03,159
Speaker 2: If I'm excited to work with him, work around him,

449
00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:06,160
Speaker 2: you know, like weekly press conferences and whatnot.

450
00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:07,480
Speaker 1: Yeah, see what he's like.

451
00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:11,000
Speaker 2: Watch it flip goes into like robot mode.

452
00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,680
Speaker 1: No, no, don't even put that out in the universe.

453
00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:15,560
Speaker 3: All right, how is that smiled? Right?

454
00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:17,639
Speaker 1: Yeah? No, no, no, definitely not all right, Thank you

455
00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:20,360
Speaker 1: guys so much for joining us. You can catch all

456
00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:24,080
Speaker 1: of our podcasts, which there will be so many podcasts.

457
00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:25,800
Speaker 1: We have so many checkpoints that we need to talk

458
00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,919
Speaker 1: to you guys through, and I'm really excited to do that.

459
00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:33,639
Speaker 1: So check us out the Atlanta Falcons podcast Network, YouTube, Spotify,

460
00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,320
Speaker 1: Apple pod, wherever you get your podcasts, and we will

461
00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:37,400
Speaker 1: see you again real soon