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Atlanta Falcons hire Jimmy Lake as defensive coordinator

Nick Profile Picby: Nick Geddes01/30/24NickGeddesNews
Jimmy Lake
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falcons have hired Jimmy Lake as their defensive coordinator, the team announced Monday.

Lake, 47, spent the 2023 season as assistant head coach for the Los Angeles Rams under head coach Sean McVay. Prior to a year of inactivity before joining Los Angeles, Lake served as head coach for Washington at the collegiate level from 2020-21. Lake went 7-6 before Washington fired him nine games into his second season in charge. Washington parted ways with Lake after suspending him without pay for appearing to strike then redshirt freshman linebacker Ruperake Fuavai during a 26-16 loss to Oregon. Lake later faced an allegation he was physical with a player during halftime of a game against Arizona in 2019.

Prior to becoming head coach, Lake spent six seasons as an assistant at Washington. He has also had tenures as an assistant at Boise State, Montana State and Eastern Washington and in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions.

Jimmy Lake added to Falcons new-look staff under Raheem Morris

Lake will serve under newly hired Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, who was in Los Angeles as the team’s defensive coordinator for the past three seasons. Morris was previously Atlanta’s interim head coach in 2020, going 4-7 following the firing of Dan Quinn. In three seasons as head coach of the Buccaneers (2009-11), Morris went 17-31, including a 10-6 campaign in 2010.

“I am overjoyed for the opportunity for my family and I to return to Atlanta as the Falcons head coach,” Morris said in a statement. “We know from firsthand experience what a first-class organization Atlanta is and what this team means to its city and its fans. I am incredibly appreciative of Arthur Blank for his leadership and for this entire organization for putting its trust in me to help lead this team.

“I can’t thank the Rams organization enough for the experience and opportunity with the team. From the Kroenke family, Kevin Demoff, Les Snead, Sean McVay and the entire staff, the Rams are a first-class organization all around. We loved our time in L.A., loved the fans and know the Rams continue to have a very bright future.”