Date: January 22, 2009
Content courtesy of buccaneers.com

Pop Warner would like to congratulate former Irvington Golden Knights Pop Warner player Raheem Morris for his recent selection as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With his promotion, the 32 year-old Morris becomes the youngest head coach in the NFL.

Morris, who played his college ball at Hofstra Univeristy, kicked off his football career with the Knights, as a member of the Newark Pop Warner Football League.

"Just as the majority of NFL players started their careers in Pop Warner Football, so, too, did many NFL coaches," said Pop Warner Executive Director Jon Butler.  "Pop Warner helps build character on the field and in the classroom, and we congratulate Newark Pop Warner alumnus, Raheem Morris, on being selected Head Coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wish him the best of luck."

"As President of the Newark Pop Warner Football League I wish to extend a heartfelt and sincere congratulations to Raheem Morris on his selection as the Head Coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers," added League President Michael James. "The city of Newark, N.J. joins with his hometown of Irvington, N.J. to commemorate this wholesome achievement and extends best wishes from the many players, parents and administrators that have helped in making this league possible for the past twenty-five years. We are all very proud of you."

Morris was officially hired by the Buccaneers as head coach on January 17, 2009 after previous head coach Jon Gruden was fired after seven seasons with the team. Morris had spent six of the last seven seasons on Tampa Bay's staff, most recently as the defensive backs coach in 2007-08. Prior to that he spent time on the coaching staffs at Hostra, his alma mater, and Cornell.

After a Minority Coaching Fellowship Internship with the Jets in 2001, Morris launched his NFL career with the Buccaneers in 2002 as a defensive quality control coach. After working tirelessly in that position to help the Buccaneers win Super Bowl XXXVII in '02, he was quickly promoted to defensive assistant in 2003 and to assistant defensive backs coach under Mike Tomlin in 2004. After two seasons in that post, Morris left the Buccaneers to serve as the defensive coordinator at Kansas State in 2006 before returning to Tampa.

"It's really hard to even imagine right now. It's all happened so fast," Morris stated at his press conference. "I'm so fired up. I'm happy to initiate our plan. I can't wait to get going."

The entire Pop Warner family extends it's congratulations to Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach and Newark Pop Warner Alumnus Raheem Morris.

Tampa Bay Buccaneer Player Quotes:

Linebacker Barrett Ruud - “Basically, I’m ecstatic over the decision. I’m a huge fan of his as a coach and I think he was on that fast track to being a head coach and he’s one of the young, rising superstars in the profession. So I’m thrilled he’s going to be coaching me while I’m there and I think he brings not only great X’s and O’s strategy and fundamental football, but he really knows situational football too. You combine that with knowing how to motivate people and knowing how to push people, I think he’s going to be a great coach.”

11-time Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Brooks - “In anything with change, you have questions, but I think the one thing that Coach Morris will bring to the table is energy, everybody being on the same page at the same time, from top to bottom. I think that’s going to be key, because we have to deal with change. The more comfortable people are in their roles and knowing their roles, the better we can deal with this change and make the best of it.”