The Atlanta Falcons are getting a fresh start under Kevin Stefanski, and one NFL writer thinks that could be enough to turn them into a sleeper in 2026.
The Athletic’s Mike Jones included Atlanta on his list of underrated teams for next season, pointing to a roster that still has plenty of high-end talent despite the coaching change. In Jones’ view, Arthur Blank’s decision to move on from Raheem Morris and bring in Stefanski gives the Falcons a chance to reset around a group led by Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, Drake London, A.J. Terrell, Jessie Bates III, James Pearce, and Xavier Watts.
“Arthur Blank (Falcons owner) opted for change, and Kevin Stefanski inherits a team that features plenty of talent, with Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, Drake London, A.J. Terrell, Jessie Bates III, James Pearce, and Xavier Watts leading the way,” Jones wrote.
Stefanski arrives in Atlanta after six seasons in charge of the Cleveland Browns, where he won two NFL Coach of the Year awards and finished with a 45-56 record before being fired this January. He’s one of the new faces in a league that saw 10 teams make head-coaching changes.
Atlanta’s roster still carries some momentum from the end of last season, even if the results didn’t change the bigger picture. The Falcons closed the 2025 campaign with four straight wins, but they had already been knocked out of playoff contention by then. Morris was let go after back-to-back 8-9 finishes.
Jones didn’t stop with Atlanta, either. He also labeled the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints as underrated teams for 2026. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were not part of his 10-team breakdown of underrated and overrated clubs, which featured five in each category.
That setup makes the NFC South worth watching. The Panthers entered as the defending division champions, while Atlanta and Tampa Bay both finished 8-9 last season. New Orleans came in at 6-11.
The Falcons have enough talent to make noise, and the possibility of ending an eight-year playoff drought is part of the buzz around the team. But everything hinges on the quarterback situation.
Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa are battling for the starting job. Penix has dealt with season-ending knee injuries dating back to his college days at Indiana, though he later had two injury-free seasons at Washington. Tagovailoa has had concussion issues and was on pace to lead the NFL in interceptions before Miami benched him in 2025.
“If [Stefanski] can figure out the quarterback situation and keep one of those two on the field, Atlanta could challenge for the division,” Jones said in The Athletic.
Stefanski will get his first real look at the team when Falcons training camp opens Wednesday, July 29. Rookies report Friday, July 24, and veterans arrive Tuesday, July 28.
Atlanta’s preseason begins at home against the Denver Broncos on Aug. 14 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the regular season starts on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13 at Acrisure Stadium.
In Other News...
Falcons Just Ran Into A Costly Divine Deablo Problem
The Falcons have already locked up Drake London and Kyle Pitts on long-term deals, but the next round of contract business is getting trickier. With Bijan Robinson and Divine Deablo still waiting for extensions, Atlanta is staring at a linebacker market that keeps moving, and the latest ripple came from Miami, where Jordyn Brooks reset the price for players at the position.
For Deablo, the timing matters as much as the market. He is entering a contract year and is expected to step into a bigger leadership role for Atlanta, which gives the Falcons a reason to keep him in the fold but also forces them to weigh how much that new responsibility should cost. The team has room to maneuver financially, yet the longer this drags on, the more leverage Deablo could gain before Atlanta decides whether to make a move. [Read more 🡒]
Schefter Just Dropped A Huge Hint About Atlanta's QB Battle
The Falcons quarterback picture has been one of the more closely watched storylines of the offseason, with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa both in the conversation as the team works through its plans under center. Adam Schefter added another layer to that discussion on his podcast, pointing to the kinds of signals front offices and coaches tend to send when they are leaning one direction, even if the competition is still technically alive.
Penixs recovery remains part of the backdrop, which is why this race has not fully settled into a simple answer yet. Still, the current read around Atlanta is that Tagovailoa has the edge, and the next stretch of the offseason will go a long way toward showing whether the Falcons are truly keeping the door open or already moving toward a more obvious pecking order. [Read more 🡒]
These Falcons Could Finally Get The Recognition Fans Have Wanted
The Falcons head into the 2026 season with more than just an eight-year playoff drought hanging over them. They also have a roster full of players who could finally start getting the kind of league-wide recognition Atlanta fans have been waiting on, from established names like A.J. Terrell and Drake London to younger pieces such as Xavier Watts and Jalon Walker. For a team trying to move from promising to proven, individual honors often become a sign that the broader rebuild is starting to stick.
A.J. Terrell already has the rsum of a top corner, while Divine Deablos impact has shown up when hes been on the field and Watts made a strong first impression as a rookie. Jalon Walker, meanwhile, flashed enough pass-rush production to look like a player whose profile could rise quickly if he stays on track. If the Falcons are going to get back into the postseason conversation, a few first-time Pro Bowl nods would be a good place to start, even if the final step still has to be earned on Sundays. [Read more 🡒]