NFL
Morris Praises London, Bijan: ‘That’s Real Easy!’
Atlanta Falcons fans likely breathed a sigh of relief during new coach Raheem Morris‘ introductory press conference on Monday.
Naturally, Morris was asked about what he likes about the Falcons roster as is, and without hesitation, he named two of their best offensive weapons.
“That’s real easy. Drake London, Bijan Robinson,” Morris said. “[Terry Fontenot] has acquired some really good pieces and tools. The things you got to change is just the obvious holes that we’ll talk about. Every team every year is going to have some differences. Every team every year is going to have some changes. Every team is going to be different. We’ve just got to keep building on those moments when they change, when they don’t happen, when they do happen.”
That seems like an easy question to answer, and many coaches would surely answer similarly. Compared to what Falcons fans have witnessed over the past few years, though, Morris’ answer is a breath of fresh air.
Over the tenure of former coach Arthur Smith, the Falcons received plenty of warranted criticism for failing to utilize their best offensive weapons, including London, Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts. When asked about his questionable use of his offensive stars, Smith would often get defensive over his game plan.
To see Morris not only recognize those players as stars, but openly embrace them, is certainly a nice change of pace in Atlanta.
Robinson, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, showcased his sky-high potential on occasion in his rookie season, accounting for 1,463 total yards and eight touchdowns. London, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has similarly shown his potential over his first two seasons, racking up 141 receptions for 1,771 yards and six touchdowns over that time.
There is still plenty for Atlanta to figure out, but if Morris and co. truly utilize their stars as they should, Falcons fans should be quite pleased.