The Atlanta Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot on Sunday night, announcing the moves hours after the team completed their second straight 8-9 finish under Morris and an eighth consecutive losing season.
Morris said after Sunday’s 19-17 win over the New Orleans Saints that he expected to return for a third season. Instead, his 16-18 record was not enough to save his job after a year that began with optimism the Falcons would reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
“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,” owner Arthur Blank said in a statement.
“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. I wish Raheem and Terry the absolute best in their future pursuits.”
The Falcons finished with four straight wins and in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC South, but the surge came after the team had already been eliminated from playoff contention. Carolina won the division on the basis of a superior record in divisional games.
Blank attended Morris’s postgame news conference and hugged the second-year coach afterward. Asked whether he expected to return, Morris said: “You know, my expectation is always to be back, right?” He then looked at Blank and added: “I’m going to coach this football team as long as he allows it.”
When asked whether he had discussed his job status with Blank, Morris said: “You can’t worry about those things. The boss is sitting right there. This is a business. Those decisions will be made at the proper time.”
Fontenot was hired as general manager before the 2021 season. The Falcons went 36-48 during his tenure, though his 2025 draft class showed promise. First-round picks James Peace Jr and Jalon Walker led NFL rookies in sacks, while third-round pick Xavier Watts led all rookies with five interceptions.
The Falcons said the search for a new coach and general manager would begin immediately.
