Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot have been fired. Morris, after two seasons at the helm, and Fontenot, following six years as one of the National Football League’s few Black GMs.
The Atlanta Falcons were the only NFL franchise with a Black head coach and a Black general manager. That is no more.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot spoke with the media before training camp began on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Morris, his staff, and the Falcons defeated the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, bringing the overall record to 8-9 for a consecutive season. The two eight-win seasons were more than any of the three seasons of the former head coach and current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith. Under Smith, the Falcons went 7-10 for three consecutive seasons, missing the playoffs in each.
The Falcons’ current streak of missing the postseason is now eight years long. Under Fontenot, the Falcons drafted talented players like Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and rookies Xavier Watts, Jalon Walker, and James Pearce Jr., but consistently missed the playoffs. Fontenot began his tenure in Atlanta in 2021, holding a six-year contract. Morris signed a five-year contract before the 2024 season.
Fontenot is owed for one more year, while Morris has three years remaining on his deal that he will have to be paid for. Morris is owed $12 million, according to a source familiar with the deal.
There was a drastic improvement from Morris’s first season to the 2025 season. Atlanta finished the 2025 season among the top three teams in sacks and set a new franchise record with 57 sacks. During the 2024 season, the defense was at the bottom of league rankings for nearly all defensive categories.
Defense wins championships. In the case of the Atlanta Falcons, that will not be happening, at least not this season, but it does win games.
The Los Angeles Rams hadn’t been held scoreless during the first half of a game all season before they set foot in Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday night. The Falcons had failed to hold an opponent scoreless during the first half of any game this season before they began the game on Monday night.
The Atlanta Falcons are at the end of the road. There’s only one remaining game on the 2025 schedule, and after Monday night’s 27-24 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, there’s a good chance to end the season on a high note. The Falcons are now on a three-game winning streak, and the defense has to be given a ton of credit for that recent run of success.
“We got some turnovers early. I thought we did a nice job of doing that as a team,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said after the game. “That was a great team win and a great team effort to be able to hold that team scoreless.”
Rivalry Renewed: Next up for the Falcons (7-9 overall), winners of their last three, is the New Orleans Saints (6-10), winners of their last four. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had only thrown five interceptions this season before he was picked off three times on Monday night. Jessie Bates III returned a first-half interception for a touchdown, and rookie safety Xavier Watts intercepted two Stafford passes during the second quarter and the fourth quarter. Watts nearly returned the fourth-quarter interception for a touchdown, but stepped out of bounds near midfield.
“Great night. The guys came to play tonight, and they played a good football team,” said Morris, the former defensive coordinator for the Rams during their Super Bowl season in 2022.
A former college safety during his playing days at Hofstra University, Morris will happily hang his hat on the same rack as current Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. Atlanta’s defense is second in the league with 53 sacks (Denver is first with 64), 11th in passing yards allowed, and 14th in total yards allowed.
During the game against the Rams, the Falcons got sacks from four different players, including Khalid Kareem, whose name was on the practice squad list as early as the beginning of the week. Leonard Floyd, Brandon Dorlus, and Ruke Orhorhoro had the other sacks.
Watts’ five interceptions is the most for a Falcons rookie since Deion Sanders had five in 1989.
That defensive effort could be seen as a sign of what this team is capable of when healthy and focused. Or it could just be a good night in a season of bad nights. The Falcons’ defense also gave up 21 unanswered points, including a touchdown on a blocked field goal late in the third quarter. Either way, the Atlanta Falcons won their seventh game of the season.
Next up for the Falcons (7-9 overall), winners of their last three, is the New Orleans Saints (6-10), winners of their last four. Neither team is going to make the playoffs, but both are playing their final game of the season with momentum on the line. Kickoff for the Sunday, January 4 game will be 1 p.m.
First, there was a one-point win over rival Tampa Bay on Thursday Night Football, and now there are three more opportunities to potentially spoil other teams’ seasons. The Atlanta Falcons (5-9 overall) will be back in action in Arizona against the Cardinals on Sunday, and with no playoff hopes in sight, there’s still something to play for.
Atlanta will be without quarterback Michael Penix, Jr., the rest of the way, but that hasn’t stopped several Falcons from having career years. Running back Bijan Robinson is on pace for a 2,000-yard season from scrimmage despite only having four 100-yard rushing games this season. He had 93 yards rushing on Thursday night. With that, Robinson currently has 1,174 rushing yards (fourth in the NFL) and 684 receiving yards.
Robinson is currently among the top 25 in receptions and is behind only San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (86) for the top spot among running backs.
Tight end Kyle Pitts, Sr., much maligned for his play and overall effort during his four years with the Falcons, is also in the midst of a strong season. Pitts, with 73 receptions, is third amongst tight ends in receptions behind the Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (105) and Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (77). An argument can be made that McBride and Ferguson are featured targets for their teams, where Pitts, Sr. has only recently become a primary target for the current Falcons starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, over the past few weeks.
On Thursday night in Tampa, Pitts finished the game with 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns. All were season highs by a long shot. A week earlier, in a loss to Seattle, Pitts had six catches, and he had seven during a road loss at the New York Jets. Before the season highs against Tampa, Pitts had a nine-reception game against the Dolphins in a blowout loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 26.
Falcons rookie defensive end Jalon Walker said he wanted to finish his rookie season on a high note. Asked if winning the final three games of the year would be an efficient high note, Walker, who was volunteering at a holiday event in Tucker on Tuesday, said, “That’s my goal. That’s how I want to end the last chapter of my rookie season.”
Falcons rookie defensive end Jalon Walker (above) has 5.5 sacks this season. Fellow rookie James Pearce, Jr. (not shown) has eight. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Walker, a former University of Georgia standout, has 5.5 sacks and 21 tackles this season. His fellow rookie and first-round pick, James Pearce, Jr., has eight sacks.
The Falcons will close the 2025 regular season with back-to-back games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, beginning with a meeting with one of the best teams in the NFC (at least on paper), the Los Angeles Rams. It will be a reunion of sorts for Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, who was the Rams’ defensive coordinator before taking the job with the Falcons two seasons ago.
The Rams are 11-3 and looking for a bye to start their playoff run. Atlanta, on the other hand, will be looking to get over .500 at home. The Falcons are 2-4 in The Benz and can even out that record and end the season on a high note with wins over the Rams and rival New Orleans Saints in the season finale on January 4.
Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) got the start on Sunday against the visiting Miami Dolphins. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The Atlanta Falcons lost the coin toss. Lost the rushing battle between Bijan Robinson and Miami’s De’Von Achane. Lost the return of Kirk Cousins to the starting lineup. Lost the game, 34-10.
The Falcons lost everything.
“Tough day at the office,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. “It was a tough day all around.”
Morris admitted Miami dominated the game from start to finish. He was correct.
The Dolphins gained 141 yards on the ground today. The Falcons had just 45.
The Dolphins’ offense had 24 first downs. The Falcons only managed 11.
Miami came into Sunday’s game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a 1-6 overall record and a three-game losing streak. The last victory was against the New York Jets, who have not won a game this season. The Dolphins are now 2-6.
The Falcons were playing their last home game for two weeks, as Atlanta will be in New England next Sunday, and in Germany to face the Indianapolis Colts, one of the biggest surprises of the 2025 season, the following Sunday, Nov. 9.
Atlanta has had difficulty scoring touchdowns this season. The Falcons have managed to score more than 25 points once in six games. That 34-point game came against the Washington Commanders at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sept. 28. It remains the best overall co-performance from the Falcons’ defense and offense. In his second year with the franchise, offensive coordinator Zach Robinson doesn’t seem to have created an offensive identity for the Falcons’ offense.
Enter Kirk Cousins (21-31 for 173 yards on Sunday), who hasn’t started a game since Dec. 12, 2024, when the Falcons defeated the Las Vegas Raiders on the road, 15-9. In that game, Cousins was 11-17 for 112 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier had a combined 34 carries during that game for a combined 168 yards.
After the game, Cousins was asked how it felt to be back out there as a starter. He told The Atlanta Voice, “Anytime you don’t have a win, it’s a tough day, but certainly the first time being back out there in 10 months, playing live football, it’s always good to get that experience.”
The Dolphins, on the other hand, have scored more than 24 points four times this season despite losing more than 90% of their games. Something had to give on Sunday.
Miami scored the first touchdown of the game on its second possession. After a long drive that included a pass interference call on Falcons cornerback Mike Hughes, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa found running back De’Von Achane for a five-yard reception and touchdown.
Early on in the game, Cousins’ veteran presence and experience helped the Falcons advance the ball and reduce turnovers. On a fourth and three, Cousins found tight end Kyke Pits Sr. for a first down. A few plays before that, Cousins threw the ball out of play after being flushed out of the pocket. He didn’t force a throw he knew he couldn’t make. That drive ended in a successful 45-yard field goal attempt by Parker Romo.
With Miami ahead 7-3, the Dolphins put together a two-minute drive that ended in a 34-field goal which gave them a 10-3 lead. The short field came courtesy of special teams play, both good and bad.
The good: The Dolphins punted down to the Falcons’ one-yard line following their previous offensive possession.
The bad: Falcons punter Bradley Pinion’s 41-yard punt landed in Falcons territory. The positive return gave the Dolphins a scoring opportunity.
Tagovailoa found several Dolphins receivers other than leading receiver Jayden Waddle for first downs during the game, including Achane, tight end Tanner Connor, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. It’s a wonder how this team was 1-6 before Sunday.
With 11 seconds remaining in the first half, Tagovailoa found receiver Malik Washington for his second touchdown throw of the game. With that touchdown, the Dolphins were ahead 17-3 at halftime, their best first-half offensive performance of the season.
During the second half of the game, the Falcons’ offense had some motion before Robinson fumbled deep in Dolphins territory. Miami cornerback Tyrel Dodson recovered the fumble on the Dolphins’ 16-yard line. There was little, if any, consistency with the Falcons’ offense. Prior to the fumble, Cousins found Robinson on a screen play for 17 yards.
The Atlanta defense has been the most consistent part of this season thus far. The Falcons had allowed an opponent to score more than 28 points only once this season. That string of play ended when the Dolphins scored their 30th point of the game on a pass from Tagovailoa to running back Ollie Gordion II early in the fourth quarter. Gordon II had been sharing carries with Achane throughout the game and remained a threat to score. The extra point following Gordon II’s touchdown catch made the score 31-3.
Miami would manage another field goal, and the Falcons scored their first field goal of the game on a run by running back Tyler Allgeier. The score was his third of the season.
The Atlanta Falcons defeated the Buffalo Bills, 24-14, on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in front of more than 70,000 fans. Atlanta last hosted Buffalo on October 1, 2017, and the Falcons lost that game. After Monday’s game, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris called the victory “a big-time team win” and was “well-fought by the guys.”
Currently on a two-game win streak, the Falcons will have to travel to the West Coast in order to extend that streak of success. Up next: the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers are tied at the top spot in the NFC West at 4-2, tied with the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, who each have the same overall record. The Falcons and 49ers have something in common: they both have lost to Tampa Bay. The 49ers are coming into the Sunday Night Football matchup with the Falcons following a 30-19 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. To ref
During the first half of the victory over Buffalo, the Falcons’ defense sacked Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen twice. The Falcons’ front four kept pressure on Allen the entire game, and several of his pass attempts were thrown under duress. Falcons defensive back Dee Alford intercepted an Allen pass, one of the quarterback’s two interceptions.
The Falcons’ defensive front line gets all the praise a day after the smoke has cleared. Still, the secondary’s play allowed Ruke Orhorhoro, David Onyemata, and James Pearce, Jr. to help hold Allen to just 42 rushing yards to go along with his underwhelming passing night (15-26 for 180 yards and two touchdowns). According to Morris, the return of veteran corner A.J. Terrell, Jr. was also an assist.
“AJ coming back this week was awesome,” Morris said after the game. “He’s one of our leaders in the back end. “We had a couple of penalties down the field, but those things will happen when you’re fighting throughout the play.”
Morris said, along with Terrell and Alford, veteran corner Mike Hughes was among the players who made “big plays” during the game.
“I really like how those guys went out there and fought. I think they all made big plays at different times throughout the game against one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League, if not the best,” Morris said.
Falcons quarterback Michael Penix, Jr., now nine starts into his NFL career, said he wanted to credit the defense for securing the victory. When asked about the play of the secondary, Penix, Jr. said the play was “really good!”
“Midway through the week, I heard [coach] say the defense was going to play a lot of man, and they did that, and those guys were up for the challenge,” said Penix (20-32 for 250 yards and a touchdown). “They played great football and allowed our defensive line to get sacks and stuff like that because Josh [Allen] had to hold the ball whenever people weren’t open down the field.”
“We definitely couldn’t have won that game without what they did on that side of the ball,” Penix said.
49ers quarterback Mac Jones was intercepted twice during his team’s loss to Tampa last week. The Falcons’ secondary has intercepted passes during all of their victories this season.
Atlanta will need Penix, Robinson, the defensive line, and smart coaching decisions to win the game at San Francisco on Sunday night. They will also need the secondary to be as stellar, if not better, than it was on Monday night against the Bills.
Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (above) had over 200 yards from the line of scrimmage, including 170 yards rushing. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The Atlanta Falcons defeated the Buffalo Bills, 24-14, on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in front of more than 70,000 screaming fans (the majority of whom felt and sounded like they were from up North).
The last time Atlanta hosted Buffalo was on October 1, 2017. The Falcons lost that game.
After the game, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris called the victory “a big-time team win” and was “well-fought by the guys.”
Falcons and Bills fans make their way over the bridge to Mercedes-Benz Stadium before Monday night’s game. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The Falcons (0-2 in the NFC South) came into Monday night’s game with as much rest as any team in the league. Getting a bye week followed by a game on Monday on your home turf has to be the best-case scenario for any team.
It didn’t take the Falcons’ offense long to get into the end zone. For a consecutive game, the Falcons scored on their opening drive. Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. (20 for 32 for 250 yards and a touchdown) completed two passes to his go-to receiver, Drake London (10 receptions for 158 yards), before runs by Bijan Robinson (more than 200 total yards from scrimmage) led to a touchdown run by the team’s other running back, Tyler Allgeier.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris (above) after the 24-14 victory. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta was ahead for four minutes before Buffalo put together a long drive on their opening drive, which ended with a pass from quarterback Josh Allen to tight end Dawson Knox to tie the game at seven.
The first quarter ended with a three-minute Falcons drive capped by a long run by Robinson, Penix’s first touchdown pass of the game to London, and a 14-7 advantage. The Falcons were ahead at the end of the first 15 minutes of play for a consecutive week. The good vibes continued early in the second quarter when the Falcons’ defense stole the show at first, sacking Allen twice in the same drive. Following a Buffalo punt, Robinson took a handoff from Penix and raced up the right sideline for an 81-yard touchdown. Robinson shook off a couple of would-be tacklers en route to the Buffalo end zone and a 21-7 lead for the home team.
The Falcons scored on their possession of the game and twice during the first quarter. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The Falcons could have gone ahead by 17 points, but head coach Raheem Morris decided to go for it on fourth down instead of attempting a 40-plus-yard field goal. The Falcons went into the locker room with a 14-point lead.
During the first half, the Falcons’ defense sacked Allen twice and intercepted a pass. The latter went to Dee Alford, his second career pick as a Falcon.
Buffalo began the second half by scoring on an efficient drive that ended with a short touchdown run by Ray Davis. The Bills pulled closer to the Falcons, 21-14. Both teams traded wasted possessions during the remainder of the third quarter.
In the fourth, Buffalo got the ball back with 8:30 remaining in the game.
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The American Flag on full display moments before kickoff during the Atlanta Falcons season opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The Falcons lost the home and season opener 23-20 on Sunday. Atlanta kicker Young Koo missed a field goal that could have tied the game.
Mistakes will cost you everything in the National Football League. Three roughing the passer penalties, a pair of missed field goal, a missed extra point attempt, they all mattered during this game.
“We have to find a way to win next week,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said after the game.
“We have to keep going, it’s just one game,” Leonard Floyd said in the locker room after the game.
The biggest play will go down as the touchdown pass from Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield to receiver Emeka Egbuka that made the score 23-20. But it was the roughing the passer penalty from the Falcons that helped extend the Bucs’s drive.
Minutes earlier, the score was 17-13 in favor of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game clock read 3:33 in the fourth quarter. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. (27-42 for 298 yards, a touchdown pass and run) ran for the goal line and was short of scoring a touchdown. He was however past the first down marker. The Buccaneers had two roughing the passer penalties called on them during the drive.
The biggest play of the game came courtesy of the feet of Penix, Jr., because Atlanta’s fresh set of downs lead to another Penix, Jr. run, this time for a one-yard touchdown with 2:17 left to play. The touchdown put Atlanta ahead 20-17 following the extra point by kicker Younghoe Koo.
Back on defense, the Falcons put pressure on Mayfield (17-32 for 167 yards) late in the game, but not enough to keep him from throwing three touchdown passes.
The video montages featuring former Falcons Andre Rison, Ray Buchanan, and Roddy White, Freddie the Falcon bungee jumping from the rafters, a smoke-filled entrance to the field, and a loud roar from a crowd of re than 70,000 when starting quarterback Michael Penix, Jr.’s name was announced. The Falcons season opener had it all.
The Atlanta Falcons opened the 2025 season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 7. Their opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have won the NFC South division crown time after time, and this game was an opportunity for Atlanta to set the tone for the next 17 weeks.
Under current head coach Raheem Morris, the Falcons have had success against the Buccaneers and head coach Todd Bowles. Atlanta swept Tampa last season, winning on the road by five points, and winning at home by six points.
The Falcons put together a one-minute and 46-second offensive drive to open the game. The big play came on a Penix, Jr. screen pass to running back Bijan Robinson for a long run and score. Robinson caught two passes during the abbreviated drive.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Tampa’s first score, a 48-yard field goal from kicker Chase McLaughlin, came eight minutes after they began their third drive at the tailed of the first quarter. By the time the score was 7-3 in favor of the Falcons, it was midway through the second quarter.
The Buccaneers took their first lead of the game at 10-7 when quarterback Baker Mayfield found perennial Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans over the outstretched hands of Falcons rookie safety Xavier Watts for a touchdown at the seven-minute mark of the second quarter.
The Falcons tied the game at 10 on a 41-yard field goal from kicker extraordinaire Younghoe Koo. That subsequent Falcons offensive drive included a fourth and one that was completed by running back Tyler Allgeier. The Falcons offense rushed for only 27 yards during there first half.
The second half began with a Tampa Bay drive dow to the Atlanta 26 yard line. The Bucs and McLaughlin attempted a 44-yard field goal that missed the mark and kept the score tied at 10.
A 53-yard punt return and 20-yard scramble by Mayfield gave Tampa Bay the kind of field position deep in Falcons territory that usually leads to a touchdown. And it did. A few plays later, Mayfield found running back Bucky Irving on a screen for a touchdown a 17-10 advantage with seven minutes to play in the third quarter.
The Falcons offense found a way back into the scoring column, adding three more points on a 36-yard field goal from Koo. The 11-play drive included receptions by Kyle Pitts, Ray-Ray McCloud III, Drake London, and the team;’s leading receiver at that moment of the game, Robinson (5 receptions for 94 yards). On one play, Robinson took a Penix pass 23 yards to get into the team into field goal possession.
Down 17-13 with less than 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter, the Falcons
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris was at the team’s training facility with teammates on Sunday, two days after he was taken off the field in an ambulance late in a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the details, said Norris was released from an Atlanta hospital and returned home on Saturday.
Norris shared a social media post the day after he was injured, saying he’s OK and thanking people for their support.
“I’m all good man don’t stress,” he said, adding he appreciates all of the check-ins and support.
Norris was in stable condition late Friday night after he was attended to for about 20 minutes by medical personnel and taken to an Atlanta hospital.
The 24-year-old Norris was hurt with 14:50 left in the preseason game after hitting Falcons running back Nathan Carter. He hit Carter with his facemask facing the running back’s midsection and his head snapped back after assisting on the tackle.
When play resumed, Atlanta quarterback Emory Jones snapped the ball and players on both teams held hands and bowed their heads in payer.
Detroit coach Dan Campbell and Atlanta coach Raheem Morris made the decision to not finish the game.
Norris, a former Fresno State standout, played in two regular-season games and one in the playoffs as a rookie in 2024 after earning a spot on the team as an undrafted free agent.
The Atlanta Falcons hosted Sunday Night Football for the only time this season. There will be a Monday Night Football game late in the season in Las Vegas and a Thursday Night Football game in Atlanta against rival Tampa Bay on Oct. 3. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The Atlanta Falcons lost 22-17 to the Kansas City Chiefs tonight and have now played three games this season. Even though Atlanta’s overall record is 1-2, the most important part of the season is going to take place during the following three weeks.
Atlanta will host NFC South division rivals New Orleans (Sunday, Sept. 29) and Tampa (Oct. 3) before traveling north on I-85 to play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Oct. 13 following a bye week. This season and any hope for a playoff berth will rest on a division title and being able to open division play at home has to become a huge advantage for Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, quarterback Kirk Cousins, All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III, and the rest of the franchise.
The Falcons have missed the playoffs for six consecutive seasons and the last time Atlanta won a division title was in 2016, the year National Fooball League MVP Matt Ryan and friends made it all the way to the Super Bowl. Yes, that Super Bowl.
Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) attempts a pass during the Falcons 22-17 loss to the Kansas City Cheifs on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. Photo by One Circle Entertainment/The Atlanta Voice
A special night
Sunday Night Football saw rapper T.I. perform a medley of his classic songs before the game and singer/songwriter Kandi Burruss sing the National Anthem. Two players from Apalachee High School were the honorary captians of the game. The team was in attendance and received a standing ovation late in the first quarter following an interception by safety Justin Simmons in the end zone.
Team owner and philanthropist Arthur Blank, Roddy White and Warrick Dunn were among a number of Falcons that were inducted into the franchise’s Ring of Honor on Sunday night.
This was Atlanta’s only Sunday Night Football game of the season. There will be a Thursday Night Football game against rival Tampa Bay in Atlanta on Oct. 3 and a Monday Night Football game in Las Vegas against the Raiders late in the season on Dec. 16.
DETROIT — The 2024 NFL Draft for the Atlanta Falcons will be remembered for a garden variety of reasons. First and foremost, the selection of Michael Penix Jr. with the 8th pick was a head-scratcher for many. Secondly, five of the Falcons’ eight draft picks were used on the front seven. Three of the five picks were defensive tackles. Additionally, the Falcons did not draft anyone outside of college football’s Power Five conferences. Let’s make sense of this.
During his opening press conference, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said, ‘If we had better quarterback play, I may not be standing here.’ He’s right. If Ridder had taken the Falcons to the playoffs last year, Arthur Smith would still be head coach. In response, Atlanta signed Kirk Cousins and drafted whom the brass believes will be the eventual successor in Penix.
“Here’s one of those times we’ve been able to stump the world and we’ve been talking about it for three days,” Morris said Saturday. “I hate for it to be the story of the draft and I know it will be.”
Could the Falcons have drafted Spencer Rattler, Jordan Travis, Kedon Slovis, or Joe Milton III in the later rounds? Sure! Did they want to put their futures in the hands of a quaterback drafted in the later rounds? Well, it got Arthur Smith fired.
For example, if the Falcons cut Cousins before 2025, he’ll cost at least $40 million against the Falcons’ salary cap in dead money, according to OverTheCap. That hit goes down to at least $12.5 million if he’s cut ahead of 2026 or 2027.
There are no guarantees and sure things in the NFL. What is clear is that 66 quarterbacks started NFL games in 2023. Outside of the starters, the backup quarterback position has become very important in today’s game.
By the way, Kirk Cousins will be 36 on August 19th.
Why did the Falcons go heavy with defensive players?
Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata are north of 30 years of age. Drafting Ruke Orhorhoro, Brandon Dorlus, Zion Logue and Bralen Trice in the middle rounds signifies affecting the quarterback is a major key for the Falcons heading into 2024. Last season, the Falcons did not have anybody within the top 20 of pass rush win rates. Neither at edge rusher or defensive tackle. No Falcon defensive tackle or edge rusher finished in the top ten in run stop win rates. Additionally, the Falcons finished 2023 with 42 sacks, which was 22nd in the NFL.
Sure, a defensive-minded head coach would want to fortify the front seven. Yes, a defensive-minded head coach wants to affect the opposing quarterback often. Yes, the foundations of football are built at the line of scrimmage. However, an offense’s best friend is a defense that can get off the field on third down.
What was a weakness must be a strength for the Falcons.
As of the time of publication, the Falcons signed the following undrafted free agents: WR JaQuae Jackson, Rutgers; WR Isaiah Wooden, Southern Utah; OL Ryan Coll, Richmond; CB Trey Vaval, Minnesota State; P Ryan Sanborn, Texas); QB John Paddock, Illinois, CB Jayden Price, North Dakota State; and TE Austin Stogner, Oklahoma. Cole Beck from Virginia received an invite to rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
The fact remains: The Atlanta Falcons have not had a winning season since 2017. Additionally, the team has not won the division since 2016. Furthermore, Atlanta has not hosted a playoff game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Those are the primary complaints from Falcons owner and CEO Arthur M. Blank. Yes, drafting Penix and investing heavily on defense in the 2024 NFL Draft seems like a poor proposition. However, a succession plan after Kirk Cousins was important to Blank. It was also important to the job securities of Fontenot and Morris.
DETROIT — With the 8th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. Yes, the Falcons needed a quarterback to shore up their long-term future after current quarterback Kirk Cousins’s time in uniform is completed. However, the selection of Penix with the 8th pick after paying Cousins $180 million nearly six weeks ago, is absolutely shocking.
The decision to take Penix stunned the 275,000 people at Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit.
First, Cousins’s earnings in 2024 ($12.5 million) and 2025 ($27.5 million) are fully guaranteed. If the Falcons were to release Cousins after the 2024 season, they’d be on the hook for $65 million in dead money and cost themselves $25 million in net cap space. Even a post-June 1 cut would leave $40 million in dead cap on Atlanta’s books, placing the team in cap Hell.
However, Penix was complimentary of Cousins Thursday night.
“He’s been in the league,” Penix said of Cousins in a phone call with the press. “He’s been in there for a while. He’s played a lot of football. I feel like I’m gonna come in and I’m gonna learn. I’m gonna learn from him.”
Penix’s credentials do not disappoint. He was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy last year and won the Maxwell Award, as the best all-around player in college football. Additionally, Penix led major college football with 4,903 passing yards in 2023 and was second in FBS in 2022 (4,641). Here’s some historical perspective: Penix is the first player with 4,500 passing yards or more in two straight seasons since Patrick Mahomes did it in 2015 and 2016 for Texas Tech.
However, Penix’s injury history made many teams pause: Penix had four separate season-ending injuries while playing for Indiana University. Penix tore his right ACL in 2018, dislocated his shoulder in 2019, tore his right ACL again in 2020 and separated the AC joint in his shoulder in 2021.
Now, the Falcons have to deal with the fact Penix, 23, would be at least 25 when it’s his turn to take the helm. Colloquially, the NFL stands for ‘Not For Long’ and the Falcons are in win-now mode. Apparently, the clock is ticking for Cousins, head coach Raheem Morris and General Manager Terry Fontenot as owner Arthur Blank has given the team a mandate to win the NFC South for the first time since 2016.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons have agreed upon a four-year contract. The deal is potentially worth up to $180 million. $100 million is guaranteed, with $90 million being paid in the first two years of the deal. There is also a $2 million incentive if Cousins leads the Falcons to a Super Bowl title.
The maximum value of Kirk Cousins’s contract is potentially $188 million.
Cousins’ move to Atlanta was first announced by his agent, Mike McCartney. Cousins played 12 seasons for the Vikings and Washington. He threw for 39,471 yards and 270 touchdowns. He was selected to play in 4 Pro Bowls. However, after suffering an Achilles’ injury, the Vikings allowed Cousins to test the free agency market. The Vikings were serious about bringing back the quarterback, however the Falcons were serious about bringing Cousins in the building.
“After significant and positive dialogue with Kirk and his representatives, we were unable to reach agreement on a contract that fits the short and long-term visions for both Kirk and the Minnesota Vikings,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said in a statement on Monday. “Kirk holds a special place in Vikings history, and we appreciate his leadership and contributions to the team and the Minneapolis-St. Paul community over the past six seasons. We wish him, his wife, Julie, and their children all the best.”
The Falcons were set on addressing the quarterback position after a mediocre season by 2023 starters Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. Ridder would finish the season with 2,836 passing yards, twelve touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Despite running for 976 yards, catching 58 passes for 487 yards and eight combined touchdowns, Bijan Robinson was never the every-down back the Falcons envisioned. Kyle Pitts struggled once again to be featured in an offense that didn’t have an above average quarterback. Pitts only had 53 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns. Drake London finished the season with 905 yards and two touchdowns.
During the NFL Combine, new Falcons head coach Raheem Morris did not mince words when describing the performance of the previous starting QBs.
“Now, it’s time to implement a couple new things, go out there and find out who’s gonna be the triggerman for us and put ourselves in a position to win,” Morris said. “I’m not afraid to say that we have the ability, and we’re capable of going out there to win next year. If we do some of the right things, make the right moves, we can do that.
“And that’s not an arrogance. That’s not a cockiness. That is more of a credit to the people who are in the building with me still and the people still and some of the people who are not there now.”
“I am very excited about where we are, but we will be aggressive and we have to make this total team better,” Fontenot said. “Clearly, we’re going to get the quarterback position right, not close.”
