The Atlanta Falcons are looking for a fresh start after yet another disappointing season.
Several reporters confirmed Sunday night that the Falcons were firing head coach Raheem Morris after two seasons with the team. News broke minutes later that Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot was also getting the ax after serving as the team’s top executive since 2021.
Sources: Raheem Morris is out as the Falcons head coach. pic.twitter.com/TQEaaQ79oQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 5, 2026
Falcons also fired GM Terry Fontenot. pic.twitter.com/lKdu8VfEWl
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 5, 2026
The move was unsurprising given the Falcons’ inability to escape the treadmill of mediocrity over the past several seasons. Atlanta has never had a winning record in the five years since Fontenot was hired in 2021.
“I have great personal affinity for both Raheem and Terry and appreciate their hard work and dedication to the Falcons,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement, via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “But I believe we need new leadership in these roles moving forward.
“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.”
The team tallied three consecutive 7-10 finishes from 2021 to 2023 before Fontenot’s controversial pair of quarterback moves. Fontenot green-lit the signing of veteran QB Kirk Cousins to a massive contract in March 2023, then opted to draft Michael Penix Jr. weeks later, which together generated more questions than answers in Atlanta.
Morris inherited the Cousins-Penix QB dilemma when he came aboard in 2023. Under Morris, the team finished with identical 8-9 records and missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.
The Falcons did close the 2025 campaign with a four-game winning streak. But the wins started piling up only after Atlanta was eliminated from playoff contention.
With the team still searching for its first postseason appearance since 2017, it’s no mystery why the Falcons wanted to clean house.
