✅ OFFICIAL — ESPN Reports
FALCONS’ HEAD COACH RAHEEM MORRIS PASSES AWAY AFTER CARDIAC ARREST
ATLANTA, GA — JUNE 12, 2025 — In an unimaginable tragedy, Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris has died following a sudden cardiac arrest earlier today during what should’ve been a routine walkthrough session at the team’s Flowery Branch facility.
Sources familiar with the matter tell ESPN that Morris, 51, collapsed on the sidelines just moments after wrapping up a playbook review with offensive coordinators. Medical staff rushed to his side, administering CPR and using a defibrillator before rushing him to Northside Hospital. Despite their best efforts, Morris was pronounced dead at 10:47 a.m. ET.
Moments after the announcement, Falcons owner Arthur Blank released a brief but emotionally charged statement:
> “Raheem was more than a coach—he was family. He poured his heart into this team and this city. We are utterly devastated by this loss.”
Current Falcons assistant coaches and coordinators were spotted in shock-stunned silence on the practice fields as word spread. Players reportedly gathered around the sideline in a raw, emotional circle before being escorted away for crisis counseling.
Morris, a former defensive backs coach and longtime NFL assistant, took over the Falcons’ helm in 2024. In his tenure, he injected renewed energy into the organization—instilling toughness, adaptability, and community spirit. Just last season, he helped lead the Falcons to their first winning record in five years, ending a playoff drought that had weighed heavily on fans and players alike.
The emotional fallout has already begun: wide receiver Drake London, visibly distraught in a tearful post-practice locker room moment, expressed that “Coach Morris believed in us when nobody else did,” while linebacker Divine Deablo—a player once revived after a terrifying training camp injury—stated, “He gave me a second chance on and off the field.”
The Falcons organization has announced that interim coaching duties will be assumed by defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, effective immediately, as the team reels from the news. The NFL has expressed deep condolences, planning a league-wide moment of silence before Thursday night’s game.
🔹 What’s Next
Memorial Arrangements: Details to come, with plans including a public tribute at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Immediate Move: The Falcons front office is expected to convene today for an emergency team meeting to discuss next steps.
Player Support: Mental health and grief counselors have been made available to every member of the Falcons organization.
🔹 Morris’ Legacy
Raheem Morris leaves behind a coaching career spanning nearly two decades across the NFL, marked by an unshakeable commitment to player empowerment and his trademark infectious positivity. His fingerprints are all over the resurgence of Atlanta’s franchise and the personal growth of his players.
The NFL world—and, most painfully, the city of Atlanta—stands united in mourning today, holding fast to Morris’s ethos: “Lead with compassion, play with heart.”
More coverage to follow, including tributes, coach selection updates, and memorial planning.
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