The Associated Press on Thursday received backlash for a social media post promoting a story about the Atlanta Falcons hiring Raheem Morris as their next head coach.
The photo accompanying X's post featured Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
Morris and Evero are both black men, and the Associated Press drew criticism from NFL experts and fans on social media.
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Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris during a game against the Cleveland Browns on December 3, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Gong Kyusung, File)
Damian Woody, a former New England Patriots offensive lineman who won two Super Bowls with the team, saw the post.
“C'mon @AP…try harder!” he wrote, attaching a screenshot of the post.
Added Dallas Cowboys reporter Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “It's absolutely disgraceful.”
Others on social media were surprised. NFL writer Dov Kleiman added a facepalm emoji at the end of his post.
The Associated Press confirmed to Fox News Digital that the wrong photo was used in the story and that it replaced it with the correct photo once the mistake was discovered.
Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Ebello before a game against the New Orleans Saints on September 18, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman, File)
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“We apologize,” the store said.
Morris is reportedly set to become the Falcons' head coach after the team met with Bill Belichick twice. Evero also interviewed twice for the position.
Morris has been coaching the Los Angeles Rams in Southern California since the 2021 season, winning a Super Bowl in his first season there. From 2015 he held multiple positions until 2020 before returning to Atlanta.
Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris stands on the sideline during a 34-14 victory over the Chicago Bears at SoFi Stadium on September 12, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (Harry Howe/Getty Images)
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Morris was the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011 and served as interim head coach of the Falcons in 2020. Arthur Smith eventually took over from the 2021 to 2023 season.
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