Falcons clean house, fire coach Morris, GM Fontenot
Four straight wins to close the season weren't enough to save Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot in Atlanta.
The Falcons fired both head coach Morris and general manager Fontenot on Sunday, the team announced.
The major decisions come hours after the Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints. It was Atlanta's fourth straight victory. The team, however, finished the 2025 season with a losing record at 8-9, missing the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year.
The Falcons said they will use a search firm to help find a new head coach and a different search firm to help find the next general manager.
In addition to these changes, Atlanta will also hire a new president of football from outside the organization, according to a statement from owner Arthur Blank. The new head coach and general manager will report directly to the president of football, who will have final say on decision making. Blank adds that he plans to quickly find a president of football so that the individual can be "fully involved" in the hiring a new coach and general manager.
President Greg Beadles will also add CEO to his list of responsibilities, succeeding Rich McKay. Beadles will "collaborate closely" with the president of football to ensure everything is "working toward the goal of a winning product on the field." Meanwhile, McKay will focus on Arthur M. Blank Sports and Entertainment initiatives such as planning the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Super Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Blank adds that believes this new structure will return the Falcons to contention in the near future.
"I understand trust is built through action, not words," the owner explained. "Honesty, effort and accountability must be reflected in the way this organization operates and performs. Moving forward, every decision will be made with one clear objective: building a team capable of sustained success and competing for championships. I am confident that our new football structure and leadership will have us contending again soon."
Morris, 49, had a brief stint as Atlanta's interim head coach in 2020 and posted a 4-7 record. He won the full-time job in 2024 after the Falcons conducted a lengthy interview process to replace Arthur Smith. Overall, Atlanta went 20-25 under Morris.
The Falcons didn't make any playoff appearances in five seasons under Fontenot's management despite spending significant draft capital on standout skill-position players. From 2021-24, Atlanta used top-10 picks on tight end Kyle Pitts, receiver Drake London, running back Bijan Robinson, and quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
The Penix selection in 2024 came roughly a month after the club gave veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180-million contract. Cousins hit free agency that year after sustaining a torn Achilles in October 2023.
Fontenot's final draft with the Falcons also invited scrutiny. After drafting edge rusher Jalon Walker 15th overall, Fontenot gave up a package of picks that included his 2026 first-rounder to grab fellow edge James Pearce at No. 26.
Retired quarterback Matt Ryan - the Falcons' all-time passing leader - has been linked to a high-profile front-office position with the franchise recently.