Falcons announce they will bring back head coach Dan Quinn

The Atlanta Falcons have missed the postseason again and are going to finish with a record no better than 7-9 for the second straight season, but head coach Dan Quinn is going to have an opportunity to get the team back to its winning ways in 2020.

On Friday, Falcons owner Arthur Blank announced that both Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff will be back next season.

“After weighing several factors, including our team’s statistical turnaround and our players’ focus and effort the second half of the season, I feel the decision to retain Thomas and Dan, with (President and CEO Rich McKay) providing close day-to-day oversight of the football operation, will provide the timeliest route for the Atlanta Falcons to return to contention in 2020 and beyond,” Blank said.

Blank also said assistant head coach and secondary coach Raheem Morris has been promoted to defensive coordinator.

Quinn led the Falcons to the Super Bowl in his first year as head coach back in 2016, where they infamously collapsed after jumping out to a 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots. Since then, the team has gotten progressively worse. Atlanta won a wild card playoff game before losing in the divisional round in 2017, and they then missed the playoffs and finished 7-9 last year. They will once again finish 7-9 if they’re able to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

There were already rumors that the Falcons could be eyeing a big name to replace Quinn, but Blank is willing to give him another shot. If Atlanta struggles out of the gate in 2020, Quinn could be one of the first coaches fired.