Atlanta Falcons Clean House After 8-9 Finish
The Atlanta Falcons helped the Carolina Panthers end their playoff drought, but Atlanta's own extended to eight seasons. As a result, and in a totally unsurprising fashion, they have decided to fire head coach Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot.
Atlanta Falcons reshape organization after missing playoffs
The Atlanta Falcons finished on a four-game win streak, but because much of that winning came after the team was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, ownership decided to make huge changes. Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot are out.
Morris was hired in 2024. He went 8-9 in both seasons. However, the belief around the league, and apparently within the Falcons, is that they have more talent than that. They believe the pieces are in place to be much more competitive. This is especially true in the NFC South, where that 8-9 record was tied for the best.
With players on offense like Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts, the Falcons should have been better. The defense wasn't so much a problem, but they were talented enough on that side to also have been better this year.
Fontenot's firing is a little more surprising. He has done a good job accumulating talent that should've been utilized better. The only dark mark recently was the Kirk Cousins contract. Drafting Michael Penix Jr. in the first round is also a misfire, but the run on QBs almost necessitated a reach in that draft.
Otherwise, the simple fact that the Falcons are talented enough to justify firing Morris implies that the GM is doing a good job. Regardless, the ownership and management don't seem to agree. That, or they're just trying to start totally fresh.
They are also revamping how they do things. An external body will find head coach and GM candidates, and they will report to a president of football operations. That is expected to be Matt Ryan, former NFL MVP and longtime Falcons QB. He has reportedly been reviewing options for weeks. Arthur Blank, the team owner, will have final say, though.
What's next for Falcons?
The Falcons remain one of the most desirable head coach vacancies in the NFL. They don't have a first-round pick this year, but they do have Drake London, Dee Alford, AJ Terrell, James Pearce Jr., Jalon Walker, and Bijan Robinson. Kyle Pitts could re-sign in free agency.
Plus, they play in the NFC South, where division titles and playoff berths are not difficult to obtain. It's a very winnable division, which could matter for a prospective coach and for the GM as well. The division could be a huge pull. Other divisions have elite teams to contend with. The South does not, so the competition is easier.
The downside is the quarterback situation. The Falcons can move on from Kirk Cousins, who is signed to an albatross contract, but might need him for a little while. Michael Penix Jr. suffered a torn ACL, and there are questions around his status as the franchise QB.
That's significant for a team without a first-round pick. A head coach would essentially be locked into Kirk Cousins for half the season and then Michael Penix the other half, and that's not exactly ideal. Other teams, like the Las Vegas Raiders, can just draft their coach's preferred QB prospect.
Still, there's a lot to like in Atlanta, and if they nail the hire, they could be a surprise player next year and threaten to dethrone the ascending Panthers. The Panthers and Saints are seemingly improving, but the Falcons should also be better next year, so the division could end up being better than anyone expects.
