Falcons reportedly fire Raheem Morris despite late regular-season surge

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

After three seasons, the Atlanta Falcons are reportedly moving on from Raheem Morris. The team reportedly fired Morris on Sunday evening, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The move comes after the Falcons finished the year with another 8-9 record under Morris, marking their eighth consecutive losing season. Morris went 16-18 in two seasons with the franchise. 

Following an 8-9 season in 2024, there was some hope the Falcons would take a step forward in 2025. Last year's first-round pick, quarterback Michael Penix Jr., was set to take over as the team's full-time starter, and the team used its first four picks in the 2025 NFL Draft to shore up a struggling defense.

But the Falcons faded after a somewhat promising start. Through the first five weeks of the season, Atlanta was 3-2, and very much in the conversation for a playoff spot. But the team dropped five straight games over the next couple of weeks, and despite a late-season rally, the Carolina Panthers ultimately came up with the division to end Atlanta's postseason hopes.

The team got exposed in a few ways during that losing streak. While Penix had some moments of promise, he too often proved in need of refinement. He averaged barely over a touchdown per start and put up a lowly 60.1 completion percentage in his first season as a starter. The defense, while better, didn't take a big step forward. After ranking 23rd in points allowed in 2024, the team barely improved in 2025 despite heavily investing on that side of the ball during the draft. 

The season appeared lost in Week 11, when Penix landed on Injured Reserve following a knee injury. Despite that injury, however, the Falcons rallied late, winning three straight games down the stretch to head into Week 18 with a chance to once again win eight games. 

Despite the late rally, ownership looked at the totality of the 2025 season and felt it was time to start over. That meant getting rid of Morris, who failed to post a winning season in three years with the team. 

The firing marks the second time Morris has been ousted as a head coach. He was fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2011 after compiling a 17-31 record with the team. In six seasons as a head coach, Morris has just one winning season on his resume. Because of that, he might be relegated to defensive coordinator openings once the offseason hits. 

Morris has proven to be an adept defensive coordinator and could be a valuable piece for any coaching staff in need of a defensive turnaround. If he performs well in that role, it's possible Morris could once again emerge as a possible head-coaching candidate in the future. 

With the move, the Falcons now find themselves back in the market for a new head coach. While the team has some promising pieces on its roster, quarterback remains a massive problem. After losing roughly half of the 2025 season to injury, Penix is a much bigger question mark than expected after his second year in the NFL. 

Veteran Kirk Cousins hasn't looked the same since he returned from a torn Achilles in 2024, though he deserves credit for leading the team to wins down the stretch in 2025. Cousins is still under contract with the Falcons for two more seasons, but the team does have a potential out on his contract in the offseason. It will be up to the Falcons' next head coach to determine whether Cousins should stick around and whether more help should be brought in to push Penix.

While the new Falcons coach may want to start fresh with a rookie quarterback, that could prove difficult. Following last year's trade that netted the team James Pearce Jr., the Falcons do not have a first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.

This story will be updated.