The Atlanta Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot on Sunday, following the team’s victory over the Saints, the team announced. The ousting marks an unceremonious end to Morris’ two-year run in his second tenure leading the franchise.Â
Fontenot completed his fifth season in Atlanta after joining the Falcons in 2021. The Falcons went 37-48, with no playoff appearances, during his tenure.
“I have great personal affinity for both Raheem and Terry and appreciate their hard work and dedication to the Falcons, but I believe we need new leadership in these roles moving forward,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said. “The decision to move away from people who represent the organization so well and have a shared commitment to the values that are important to the organization is not an easy one, but the results on the field have not met our expectations or those of our fans and leadership. I wish Raheem and Terry the absolute best in their future pursuits.”
Morris, who also served as Atlanta’s interim coach in 2020, posted consecutive 8-9 records in his latest stint with the Falcons. He owns a 37-56 record as a head coach, including his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 2024, the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract, only to draft quarterback Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall, a stunning development that even blindsided Cousins. But Cousins, coming off a torn Achilles, struggled and the team turned to Penix with three games to go.
Penix entered the 2025 season as the team’s starter, though Cousins was still on the roster. Penix was up-and-down before tearing his ACL in Week 11 — his third major knee injury since his college career began — and Cousins finished out the season with four straight wins.
Ultimately, though, it wasn’t enough to save Morris’ job or lift Atlanta from its recent run of mediocrity. The Falcons have not made the playoffs since 2017, and they won either seven or eight games in seven of the eight seasons since.
In the 2025 draft, the team selected Jalon Walker 15th overall and traded up with the Los Angeles Rams to select James Pearce Jr. 26th overall, hoping that adding two first-round edge rushers would improve a lackluster pass rush and would help the team get over the hump. Though the pass rush indeed improved significantly, the defense as a whole remained middling, and the offense was too inconsistent under Penix.
That leaves Atlanta in a strange spot. There are some clear franchise cornerstones, led by superstar running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London, as well as talented defensive youngsters in Walker, Pearce and safety Xavier Watts. There is a respectable supporting group, including a solid offensive line and several other pieces on defense. But there remain major questions at quarterback as Penix remains largely unproven and the team can get out of the Cousins contract relatively easily if it wishes.
Perhaps most importantly, the Falcons do not have a first-round pick in 2026 as a result of the trade to draft Pearce. Atlanta also faces significant free agent decisions, headlined by tight end Kyle Pitts, who is set to hit the market after his best seasons since 2021 and, at just 25 years old, could be a player Atlanta wishes to retain.