Four straight wins to end the season should have bought job security. At least, that’s what some people thought. But for the Atlanta Falcons, it just led to a reset. Failing to get a playoff berth was a big blow, and so, team owner Arthur Blank took hard action after the season ended, parting ways with his head coach and general manager despite the locker room’s disapproval.

“Head Coach Raheem Morris and General Manager Terry Fontenot have been dismissed from their roles following a meeting tonight in Atlanta with Falcons Owner and Chairman, Arthur M. Blank,” the franchise mentioned in a statement. “The Falcons’ 2025 season ended earlier today after a home game vs. New Orleans.”

Explaining the decision, Blank stated, “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.”

While Blank publicly supported Morris’s coaching philosophies, a 16-18 record told a different story. The frustration may have peaked in the Week 14 loss to the Seahawks. It was a game that summed up the team’s struggles when Seattle returner Rashid Shaheed got a 100-yard touchdown. That moment likely weighed heavily on Blank’s decision.

In the end, Atlanta finished 8-9 and an eighth straight year outside the playoff picture. This consistent failure to launch was a reality for the owner, who could no longer ignore the situation. He made the decision to move on despite Morris expressing his desire to remain at the helm.

“My expectation is always to be back,” Morris said after the last game was done. “And then I’m going to coach this football team as long as he [Blank] allows.”

Similarly, Fontenot had been with the franchise for five seasons with a 37-48 record. He couldn’t guide the team to consistent success. Blank gave them extra rope for a long time, but finally fired them.

And while these firings might not be shocking, the locker room clearly loves the HC-GM duo.

Raheem Morris gets locker room support

Many players, including running back Bijan Robinson and receiver Drake London, wanted the head coach to stay. Morris has changed the Falcons’ offense and also commands their respect with his deep understanding of the game.

“I’m going to support Raheem no matter what,” Robinson said. “So, I love him as a big brother, father figure, coach, everything, and just go from there.”

Raheem Morris worked closely with Robinson, who had just played his rookie season in 2023. In the next two seasons, the running back finished with 1400+ rushing yards and even improved his receiving game, recording 60+ receptions with 400+ receiving yards.

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Further, London’s performance also improved under Raheem Morris. While he scored a total of six touchdowns in his first two seasons, he scored nine in 2024 and seven in 2025. It’s clear why the receiver also backed his head coach.

“I want Rah back with all my heart,” London said. Even running back Tyler Allgeier agreed.

“I think every week we are close [to winning], but … [Morris] doesn’t lose the locker room. I think that’s the biggest question that I guess that you guys would try to portray. But yeah, he hasn’t lost the locker room. I think it’s shown going 4-0 at the end of the season.”

Morris had been hired in January 2024 after Arthur Smith was dismissed owing to three consecutive 7-10 finishes. In comparison, Morris’ two seasons have been only slightly better.

The Falcons have faced some chaos

The quarterback position was a roller coaster during Morris’ tenure. The franchise signed veteran Kirk Cousins to a $100 million guaranteed contract in the 2024 offseason. And just a few weeks later, they drafted Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8.

However, their plans didn’t work after Cousins was injured and went on a stretch with nine interceptions and one touchdown over five games. Soon, he was benched, and Penix was pushed into the spotlight. That was until he went down with a torn left ACL in Week 11.

Cousins took over again as the starter, and they went 5-2. All that made the team wonder: what their season would have looked like without all the missed field goal attempts, muffed punts, and missed extra point attempts earlier this season. But things don’t end here. There is another type of chaos that the team needs to pay attention to.

The team has had three head coaches in the past six years: Dan Quinn, Arthur Smith, and Raheem Morris. Clearly, the team has been experiencing turbulence on multiple fronts.

While fans hope for an elite replacement, constant changes at the leadership level might just repeat the cycle.