Falcons' Raheem Morris hires Kevin Koger from Chargers as tight ends coach

FILE - Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. The Atlanta Falcons interviewed Raheem Morris for the head coaching vacancy on Saturday,, Jan 20, 2024, adding a familiar name to list of candidates. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris is continuing to fill out his staff, hiring former Los Angeles Chargers assistant Kevin Koger as tight ends coach on Friday.

Morris, the former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator who was hired on Jan. 25 to replace Arthur Smith, also added former Rams assistant Nick Jones as assistant offensive line coach, former Nebraska assistant Barrett Ruud as inside linebackers coach and Chandler Whitmer as passing game specialist. Whitmer was an offensive quality control coach for the Chargers the last three seasons.

The Falcons also announced Steven King will remain on the staff as a special teams assistant.

Koger coached the Chargers' tight ends from 2021-23 while Jones was an assistant offensive line coach for the Rams the last three seasons. Jones spent the 2020 season in Atlanta, assisting on the offensive line as a diversity coaching fellow.

Ike Hilliard was hired as wide receivers coach on Thursday. Shortly after he took over in Atlanta, Morris selected his coordinators when he named Zac Robinson to head the offense and Jimmy Lake to run the defense. Special teams coordinator Marquice Williams was retained from the 2023 staff.

On Wednesday, Morris added Jay Rodgers as defensive line coach and Steve Scarnecchia as chief of staff for coaching operations.

Also returning from Atlanta's 2023 staff: run game coordinator and offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford, quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates, assistant head coach for defense Jerry Gray, senior defensive assistant Dave Huxtable, running backs coach Michael Pitre, director of coaching operations Sarah Hogan and coaching operations assistant Donavan Ellison.

Morris will be formally introduced at a news conference on Monday.

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