The NFL’s Black Monday started early this year as the Falcons dismissed head coach Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot on Sunday night, beginning what is expected to be a wave of sideline and front office changes across the league.
Morris went 16–18 in two years with the Falcons, missing the playoffs both years with the team. Atlanta finished in a three-way tie atop the NFC South division with Carolina and Tampa Bay, ending the season with a four-game winning streak, but lost out to the Panthers in a tiebreaker for the postseason bid. Fontenot had been with the Falcons since 2021, but also failed to have a winning season or a playoff berth.
The dismissal of both leaders follows Falcons owner Arthur Blank retaining outside consulting firm Sportsology to review the team’s football operations. Among the team’s issues has been a struggle to find a bona fide starting quarterback after the 2021 departure of franchise icon Matt Ryan.
“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,” Blank said in a statement.
More Changes on the Way
The Falcons’ moves are just a small part of a wave of shifts expected among many of the 18 NFL teams that did not qualify for the postseason. Other teams under scrutiny include the Raiders, Browns, and Cardinals.
The Giants and Titans, meanwhile, finished this season with interim coaches and have their own decisions to make for the 2026 season.
