The Atlanta Falcons are staring down another offseason of upheaval - and this time, it feels inevitable. According to reports, head coach Raheem Morris is unlikely to return for a third season, and the writing is on the wall after a brutal stretch that’s seen the team spiral from early promise to another disappointing campaign.
When Morris was hired, the move was met with near-universal approval across the league. Coaches, players, and executives alike spoke highly of his leadership, energy, and football mind.
And early on, it looked like that optimism was justified. Atlanta jumped out to a 6-3 start, sitting atop the NFC South and looking like a team ready to snap a six-year playoff drought.
With Kirk Cousins under center, there was even talk of the Falcons making a legitimate postseason run.
But since that 6-3 start, things have unraveled - fast. The Falcons have gone just 6-16 since, including a 4-9 record this season.
And it’s not just the losses - it’s how they’re happening. Atlanta has consistently faltered in the areas that define competitive football teams.
They’re 1-5 in one-possession games this year, a stat that often points directly to coaching decisions and situational execution.
Special teams? A mess across the board.
Offensively, they’ve been the worst team in the league on third downs - an area that often separates efficient offenses from the rest. And while the defense has shown improvement under Morris, it hasn’t been able to deliver when it matters most.
Time and again, the unit has come up short in critical moments, unable to get the stop that could seal a win.
The latest blow came against the Seahawks, where Atlanta was outscored 31-3 in the second half - a collapse that raised even more questions about the team’s direction and Morris’s ability to rally the locker room. It’s the kind of loss that doesn’t just sting - it lingers. And when these kinds of performances stack up, it becomes hard to justify the status quo.
General manager Terry Fontenot is also under scrutiny, and it’s fair to say both he and Morris are on the hot seat. The Falcons don’t just need a tweak - they need a full reset. From the top down.
This franchise has spent the better part of the last decade searching for stability. And while there have been flashes of hope, they’ve never quite found the right combination of leadership and execution to turn the corner. With another regime change seemingly on the horizon, the Falcons are once again back at square one - searching for answers, and more importantly, for a new identity.