The Atlanta Falcons are staring down another disappointing season, and the pressure is squarely on the coaching staff. While defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has brought some much-needed stability on that side of the ball after stepping in for Jimmy Lake, the rest of the staff hasn’t exactly inspired confidence. And at the center of it all is head coach Raheem Morris, whose future with the team is very much in question as the Falcons slide deeper into a frustrating campaign.
Let’s be clear: this team hasn’t lacked talent. But when you lose 14 of your last 20 games - many of them winnable - the spotlight naturally turns to the person steering the ship.
Morris, now 33-55 as a head coach across his stints in both Atlanta and previously in Tampa Bay, is facing the hard reality of what happens when a team consistently underperforms in all three phases of the game. In the NFL, coaching matters.
And when a team keeps finding new ways to lose, it’s usually not just bad luck.
Despite the mounting losses, an in-season firing doesn’t appear to be in the cards. If it were going to happen, the moment might’ve been after the Falcons dropped a game to the struggling Jets - their sixth loss in a seven-week stretch.
That kind of defeat often triggers big changes. But according to reports, Falcons owner Arthur Blank isn’t one to make impulsive moves, and he still holds Morris in high regard.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted that Morris’ name has come up in conversations around potential coaching changes, especially after the team fell to 4-8. But Fowler also emphasized that Blank’s respect for Morris could be a key factor in any decision. The owner isn’t known for making rash calls, and there’s still time - five games, to be exact - for the Falcons to show signs of life down the stretch.
One complicating factor: the season-ending injury to quarterback Michael Penix Jr. That’s not something Morris could control, and it certainly impacted what the offense was capable of achieving.
It’s possible that Blank takes that into consideration when evaluating the season as a whole. Continuity can matter, especially with a young roster and a front office trying to build something sustainable.
Still, if Morris does get a third year, changes elsewhere on the coaching staff seem likely - maybe even necessary. Special teams have been a glaring weak spot all year, underperforming in just about every measurable way.
That unit has cost the Falcons field position, momentum, and even points. Meanwhile, second-year offensive coordinator Zac Robinson hasn’t been able to unlock the full potential of a group that includes legitimate playmakers.
The offense has taken a step back, and that’s a tough sell when the roster suggests it should be doing more.
Fowler expects that if Morris stays, the Falcons will look to shake things up beneath him. That could start with special teams coordinator Marquice Williams, whose unit has been among the league’s worst. And while Morris has publicly backed his staff and said there won’t be any changes during the season, it’s hard to imagine the current structure staying intact if the Falcons continue to stumble down the stretch.
The next five weeks could go a long way in determining the direction of this franchise. There’s still talent on this roster.
There’s still time to show progress. But if things don’t change - and fast - the Falcons may be headed for yet another offseason of tough decisions.