The Atlanta Falcons are betting big on Kevin Stefanski to steer the franchise back into playoff contention-and make no mistake, it’s a bold swing. Stefanski arrives in Atlanta with head coaching experience, but also with the weight of an 8-26 record over his final two seasons in Cleveland. That’s not the kind of stat line that inspires immediate confidence, even for a coach with a solid reputation for working with quarterbacks.
But this hire is about more than just Stefanski’s record-it's about the vision shared by the Falcons’ new leadership trio: Stefanski, newly minted president of football operations Matt Ryan, and general manager Ian Cunningham. And that word-vision-keeps coming up for a reason.
This is Matt Ryan’s first major move in his new front-office role, and he’s clearly not taking it lightly. Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Ryan explained that despite a crowded market of experienced coaching candidates, the Falcons were drawn to Stefanski’s leadership qualities and his ability to build a strong, collaborative coaching staff. And early signs suggest that’s exactly what’s happening in Flowery Branch.
Ryan didn’t just rely on surface-level evaluations, either. He did his homework.
He reached out to coaches who’ve worked with Stefanski, and he spoke with players who’ve played under him in both Minnesota and Cleveland. One of those players?
Joe Flacco, who just so happened to appear on McAfee’s show the day before Ryan. Flacco had nothing but praise for his former coach-a timely endorsement that underscores the respect Stefanski still commands in NFL circles.
That’s no small thing, especially considering how rocky things got in Cleveland. Despite the rough finish, there was never a sense that Stefanski lost the locker room.
Players continued to buy into his message, and that kind of resilience matters. For Ryan, it’s a sign of character-of a coach who’s been through the fire and come out stronger.
And Stefanski’s not coming to Atlanta alone. One of the early wins for the Falcons was retaining Jeff Ulbrich and much of the defensive staff, ensuring continuity on that side of the ball.
But Stefanski also brought in fresh faces on offense-not just familiar names from his past, but coaches who bring new ideas to the table. That blend of continuity and innovation is exactly what this team needs.
There’s even some early buzz that Stefanski’s staff might be one of the best assembled this offseason-possibly even stronger than what John Harbaugh has put together in New York. That’s high praise, and while it’s way too early to crown anyone, it speaks to the optimism around the Falcons’ new direction.
Hiring a head coach is always a gamble. Win-loss records and awards don’t tell the whole story.
What matters just as much-if not more-is alignment. Alignment between the front office, the coaching staff, and the locker room.
And for the first time in a while, the Falcons seem to have that.
Matt Ryan believes in Kevin Stefanski. And more importantly, he’s backing that belief with action.
For Falcons fans, that’s a reason to feel hopeful. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but if this new regime can turn vision into results, Atlanta might finally be on the verge of something special.