Falcons fire coach Raheem Morris after two seasons

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The Atlanta Falcons are resetting once again.

The team on Sunday fired coach Raheem Morris after two seasons, according to multiple reports. Both of Morris' seasons concluded with 8-9 records.

Despite closing the campaign out with four consecutive wins, the Falcons opted to make a change at the top.

Expectations were high for Atlanta entering the season as the organization sought to break an active playoff drought only surpassed by the New York Jets. With second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. taking over as the full-time starter after a promising three-game stint to close out 2024, the Falcons sought to unleash an explosive offense keyed by running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London.

But Penix struggled with his ball placement, and the Falcons offense floundered in both scoring and third-down conversions. After a 3-2 start, the team went on a five-game losing streak that would torpedo its playoff hopes and extend its run of consecutive losing seasons to eight.

In mid-November, Penix suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, ending his season. The former Washington and Indiana passer, whom the Falcons selected No. 8 overall in 2024 after signing Kirk Cousins a month earlier, suffered two torn ACLs in college.

"We've got enough people in place right now to have done what we needed to, and that's what's so frustrating for us," Morris said Sunday after the season finale against the New Orleans Saints.

Last April, Atlanta gave up its 2026 first-round pick in order to secure edge rusher James Pearce Jr. with the No. 26 overall selection. Along with fellow first-rounder Jalon Walker, Pearce was brought aboard to invigorate a pass rush that had netted by far the fewest sacks of any organization from 2019-24. Pearce set the franchise single-season rookie sack record with 10 ½, and the unit overall ranked second in the NFL with 57 thanks to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's blitz-happy approach.

But the Falcons ended up surrendering a pick in the top half of the first round of the 2026 NFL draft to the Rams, leaving the team with few resources to address holes in the receiving corps and elsewhere.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Raheem Morris fired by Atlanta Falcons after two seasons

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