The Atlanta Falcons are reaching for a little old-school swagger in Week 7, unveiling their black throwback uniforms for Sunday’s matchup with the San Francisco 49ers.
Atlanta has dropped back-to-back games and walks into this one with its season slipping, but the challenge only gets steeper against a 6-0 San Francisco team. Former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris has the 49ers defense in tip-tip shape while San Francisco's offense has been clicking on all cylinders.
There has been some life from the Falcons offense since Michael Penix Jr. returned in Week 3, but the last two games have brought the offense back to earth. Atlanta ran into trouble against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5 and then found itself down 21-7 in the first half against the Chicago Bears in Week 6.
Even so, the uniform reveal gives the Falcons a familiar look for a big stage. Atlanta changed its uniform design over the offseason, but kept the fan-favorite red helmets in the rotation for two games. Those helmets are back in Week 7, paired with the black throwback set, and the team will wear them one more time this season in Week 13 against the Detroit Lions.
The Falcons and 49ers will kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta enters as a heavy underdog, but they have played their best when nobody believes in them.
We'll see how head coach Kevin Stefanski's team fares against a true Super Bowl contender this weekend.
In Other News...
Falcons Young Core Faces A Brutal Week 7 Measuring Stick
A midseason trip to a contender can be a harsh way to find out where a young roster really stands, and the Falcons are staring at exactly that kind of test in Week 7 of the 2026 season. The matchup is shaping up as a measuring stick for a developing core that is still trying to prove it belongs in the same conversation with the leagues upper tier, even if the projection around this game suggests the task is a steep one.
San Francisco is the kind of opponent that can expose every weak spot, especially when a team is still learning how to handle pressure on both sides of the ball. The 49ers are being treated as the standard in this forecast, and for Atlanta, the bigger question may not be whether it can spring an upset in this spot, but what the Falcons can learn from a game that already looks like one of the toughest on their schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Offense Has One Frustrating Shift Fans Can't Ignore
After a promising start, the Falcons have suddenly dropped two straight, and the frustration around the offense is starting to feel familiar for a team trying to build something around Michael Penix Jr. Atlantas early success came with a run-first approach that kept the attack balanced and gave the rookie quarterback a steadier rhythm, but the recent slide has invited sharper scrutiny of how the offense is being called and whether it has drifted from what was working.
Tommy Rees is now at the center of that conversation, with his play-calling drawing criticism for moving away from the scheme that helped the Falcons find their footing. The bigger concern for Atlanta is not just that the offense has cooled, but that key pieces are not being used in a way that maximizes what they do best, leaving fans wondering why a unit that looked so efficient not long ago has become so hard to trust. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Pass Defense May Force A Deadline Move They Can't Dodge
After the loss to the Bears, the Falcons pass defense is looking like the sort of problem that can force a front office into action before the deadline. Atlanta expects help back soon with A.J. Terrell and James Pearce Jr. on the way from injury, but the secondary has still been vulnerable enough to keep the conversation centered on whether more help is needed, and how aggressive the team wants to be in fixing it.
One name worth watching is a corner with a short-term deal in Philadelphia, where the Eagles season has taken a turn and the franchise may be more willing to listen than it was a few weeks ago. For the Falcons, the question is whether the combination of reinforcements already coming back and the urgency created by recent breakdowns is enough to push them into a move they might otherwise try to avoid. [Read more 🡒]