Falcons Fall Further: A Season That Started With Hope Now Spirals Into Crisis
Eight straight losing seasons. That’s where the Atlanta Falcons find themselves after Sunday’s blowout loss at home to the Seattle Seahawks. And while the franchise has had its share of rough stretches over the years, this one hits differently - not just because of the record, but because of what this season was supposed to be.
Atlanta came into 2025 with real belief. This wasn’t a team limping into another rebuild.
This was supposed to be the turning point. The Falcons made bold moves in the offseason - none louder than trading their 2026 first-round pick to jump back into the first round and grab edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
That kind of move doesn’t say “we’re building for the future.” It says, “we’re ready to win now.”
For a brief moment, it looked like they might be right. Five weeks into the season, the Falcons were 3-2, fresh off a Monday night win over the Bills that had fans thinking the dark days were finally behind them.
But since then, the wheels have completely fallen off. Atlanta has dropped seven of its last eight, and the losses haven’t just been painful - they’ve been demoralizing.
Some were heartbreakers. Some were self-inflicted.
And some, like Sunday’s collapse, were flat-out no-shows. This latest performance felt like a breaking point - not just for the season, but for the current regime.
Coaching Under Fire
Arthur Blank has never been quick to fire coaches. Two seasons is usually too short a window for the Falcons owner to make a change. But the pressure is mounting on Raheem Morris and his staff, and it’s not hard to see why.
The Falcons are struggling in all the wrong places. Special teams have been a disaster - missed field goals, blown coverages, and back-breaking returns allowed.
Offensively, they’ve been one of the worst third-down teams in the league, ranking second-to-last in conversion percentage. Only the Titans have been worse.
Defensively, there have been flashes - especially in the pass rush - but when the game’s on the line, this unit hasn’t delivered. Atlanta is 1-5 in one-score games and has been blown out by 24 or more points three times.
That’s not just bad luck. That’s a team that can’t close, can’t compete, and can’t respond when adversity hits.
If Morris is going to save his job, it’s going to take something close to a miracle over the final month.
Front Office Facing the Heat
The coaching staff isn’t the only group feeling the pressure. General manager Terry Fontenot is now five years into his tenure, and the results speak for themselves: no winning seasons, no playoff appearances, and no clear signs of progress.
The Falcons still don’t have a definitive answer at quarterback, despite taking multiple swings to fix the position in recent years. The offense, outside of Bijan Robinson and Drake London, lacks firepower.
The line needs work. The defense, while improved in spots, is still average at best.
And perhaps most alarming: Atlanta doesn’t even own its first-round pick in 2026. That aggressive move to get Pearce Jr. was a bet on this team being ready to compete. Instead, it’s left them without a valuable asset in what could be a pivotal offseason.
No Identity, No Direction
Right now, the Falcons feel like a team without a compass. There’s no clear identity, no obvious plan, and no momentum to build on. What was supposed to be a breakthrough season has turned into another chapter in a long-running saga of frustration.
The rebuild that no one saw coming a few months ago? It may be the only path forward now.
For a franchise that believed it was ready to turn the corner, the road ahead suddenly looks a lot longer - and a lot more uncertain - than anyone in Atlanta expected.