The Atlanta Falcons’ search for a new head coach came to an abrupt halt Thursday night as owner Arthur Blank surprised many and offered the job to San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Jim Mora, according to reports.
“I hadn’t heard anything about that,” quarterback Michael Vick said from his off-season home near Newport News, Va.
When the process began 11 days ago, Mora, 42, was a longshot. He will be among the youngest head coaches in the NFL when the Falcons introduce him in a news conference Friday.
Mora, the son of former New Orleans and Indianapolis coach Jim Mora, could not be reached for comment Thursday night, but a high-ranking Falcons official confirmed the hiring. Contract details were not available.
Mora has worked the last five years as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator. He spent the 1997 and ’98 seasons coaching San Francisco’s secondary and held the same job with San Diego in 1986-88.
“He’s earned it,” 49ers head coach Dennis Erickson said. “There were a lot of jobs that opened up this off-season. In my opinion he landed a darned good one.”