Raheem Morris Hires Green Bay Packers Assistant as Falcons' Secondary Coach
The Atlanta Falcons’ hire of head coach Raheem Morris brought more than an experienced football mind to the organization. It also brought an impressive coaching staff to Atlanta.
On Saturday, the staff took an additional step toward completion.
According to Rob Demovsky, the Falcons hired Green Bay Packers defensive quality control coach Justin Hood to be their secondary coach. He’ll join defensive coaches in Morris, defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, assistant head coach Jerry Gray, and senior defensive assistant Dave Huxtable.
Feb 4, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive quality control coach Justin Hood (left) and offensive quality control coach Tim Zetts during NFC practice at the Las Vegas Ballpark.
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Hood has spent the last three seasons with Green Bay. Before that, he spent two years at Kent State, where he was the defensive pass-game coordinator and the secondary coach.
Notably, Hood spent time under Gray, who was the Packers’ defensive backs coach in 2020 and added passing-game coordinator to those responsibilities for the next two seasons. From 2021–2022, Green Bay ranked 13th against the pass by expected points added per play and 19th by success rate.
It is also a deviation from the trend Morris had set regarding some of his other hires – mostly on the offensive side of the ball – that have followed him from his previous stop with the Los Angeles Rams.
Hood will have his work cut out for him, as Atlanta’s secondary features a host of younger talents alongside veterans A.J. Terrell and Jessie Bates III. Cornerback Clark Phillips III and safety DeMarcco Hellams both saw additional playing time as the season progressed, and there’s a legitimate chance the Falcons add to the secondary in April’s NFL Draft.
Atlanta ranked 21st against the pass by expected points added per play, but was marginally better in terms of success rank (fifth in the NFL), suggesting that explosive plays were the downfall of the pass defense.
The return of Morris and the additions he has made to the defensive staff should go a long way in seeing those improvements through.
