AP source: Vikings seek interview with Rams' Raheem Morris

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have added Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to their candidate list for head coach.

According to a person with knowledge of the process, speaking Tuesday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the organization is not announcing interviews before they're completed, the Vikings have requested a virtual meeting with Morris about the vacancy created when Mike Zimmer was fired last week.

The Rams play Sunday at Tampa Bay in the divisional round of the playoffs. Morris is in his first season in Los Angeles, after six years with Atlanta. He spent time with both offense and defense with the Falcons, who promoted him to defensive coordinator in 2020. Morris was interim head coach for 11 games last season after the firing of Dan Quinn.

The 45-year-old Morris was Tampa Bay's head coach for three seasons, compiling a 17-31 record from 2009-11. This is his 19th year coaching in the NFL.

The Vikings have interviewed Green Bay offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and requested meetings with six other candidates beside Morris: Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell, San Francisco defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, and Quinn, currently the defensive coordinator of the Cowboys.

On the general manager front, the Vikings completed videoconference interviews Tuesday with Philadelphia director of player personnel Brandon Brown and Kansas City executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles. Rick Spielman was fired last week along with Zimmer.

Brown finished his fifth season with the Eagles, the first in his current role. He previously worked two years in scouting for Indianapolis and spent two seasons with the program at Boston College. Brown played defensive back at Fordham.

Poles is in his 13th year with the Chiefs, his first in the current leadership role. He played offensive tackle at Boston College.

The Vikings previously completed interviews with Cleveland vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Tennessee director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort, Philadelphia vice president of football operations Catherine Raîche and Tampa Bay vice president of player personnel John Spytek.

Raîche is in her third season with the Eagles. She was hired in 2019 as a coordinator of football operations and player personnel. Prior to that, the Montreal native worked five years in the Canadian Football League in the front offices of both the Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes.

Adofo-Mensah, who has degrees from Princeton and Stanford, finished his second season with the Browns. He came to the league from a career on Wall Street as a trader and manager.

Spytek is in his sixth year with the Buccaneers. He's a native of Wisconsin, who played linebacker at Michigan and has worked 18 seasons in the NFL with stints in scouting with Detroit, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Denver.

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