There hasn’t been much to like about the Atlanta Falcons this season, especially when it comes to the coaching staff. Jeff Ulbrich has made a clear positive impact on the defensive side of the ball after replacing Jimmy Lake, but beyond that, you can make a strong case that no other coach on this staff deserves to make it to 2026.
Raheem Morris has been a dismal excuse for a head coach — not just in this stint, but in his previous one with Tampa Bay as well. He’s 33–55 overall, and the Falcons have now lost 14 of their last 20 games, many of which were more than winnable. Coaches make a difference in this league, and when a team consistently finds new ways to lose in all three phases, the man at the top deserves to shoulder the blame.
An in-season firing appears unlikely. If it was going to happen, it probably would have come after the Falcons blew yet another game to the lowly Jets, their sixth loss in seven weeks. But a firing at the end of the season certainly feels possible, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“Another name that is coming up in conversation is Atlanta coach Raheem Morris, whose Falcons slid to 4-8 after a loss to the Jets,” Fowler writes. “Would Falcons owner Arthur Blank be compelled to make a change after two disappointing seasons? What I have been told is that Blank respects Morris a lot, so I don’t expect a rash decision one way or the other. Any sort of in-season move would be a mild surprise from my view. While there’s at least some smoke around this job, this feels far from finalized. And Atlanta has enough talent to turn things around over the final five weeks.”
There’s no question Arthur Blank is not eager to start another coaching search at his age, and he’s never been one to fire head coaches quickly. It’s also well-known that he really likes Raheem Morris. That, along with circumstances outside Morris’ control — like the season-ending injury to Michael Penix Jr. — might be enough to convince Blank to give his head coach one more shot next season.
However, if that’s the direction Blank chooses, Fowler expects the Falcons to make other changes to the coaching staff beneath him.
“If Morris gets a third year, I would expect more staff or coordinator changes. Special teams have been a liability, and the offense has regressed despite playmakers on that side of the ball.”
Morris has said on several occasions that no changes will be made to the current staff right now, and it’s fair to assume nothing will happen during the season. However, the Falcons have had the worst special teams unit in the league in every facet, and Zac Robinson has been underwhelming in his second year as offensive coordinator. At the very least, you’d think the Falcons will look to replace Marquice Williams.
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