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[Atlanta Falcons]

Falcons – Saints Week 18 2025 Game Coverage

It’s now three wins in a row for the Falcons, and a chance to finish the season with a very important fourth consecutive one. That’s because Atlanta now lines up against the Saints (boo! hiss!) with a chance to ruin their good vibes just in time for the offseason.

The Saints have been better since the last time the Falcons saw them, with rookie Tyler Shough settling in a bit and the roster looking feisty, which appears to have convinced some Saints fans that the team is headed in the right direction. Nothing would make me happier this Sunday than the Falcons disabusing them of that notion in savage fashion, so let’s hope for it.

Here’s all our coverage, rounded up for your reading and viewing pleasure.

• Falcons vs. Saints tailgating: A New Orleans-themed menu for Hate Week

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...647/falcons-saints-week-18-2025-game-coverage

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Falcons – Rams recap: Getting it right under the bright lights

The Rams had more yards, nearly twice as many passing yards, and outscored the Falcons 24-6 in the second half. If you skipped the game—in your defense, you were very sleepy—and woke up to that small assortment of facts, you’d assume Los Angeles destroyed Atlanta in primetime.

But that’s not what happened, of course. What happened was the defense putting on a masterclass performance in the first half, shutting out Matthew Stafford and that high-powered offense entirely along the way. They sacked him, harried him, and picked him off three times, one from Jessie Bates and two from Xavier Watts. The passing game was sad, frankly, but a record-breaking Bijan Robinson ensured that didn’t matter all that much, as he scored two touchdowns, broke off a 93 yard run, finished with 195 rushing yards, and led the team in receptions and nearly in receiving yards. Zane Gonzalez shook off a blocked field goal and hit two clutch 50-plus yarders, a 56-yarder and the game-deciding 51-yarder as the clock ran down. The Falcons needed a little luck, but they helped themselves with some strong coverage on the game’s final drive. Under the bright lights, it was enough to beat one of the NFL’s best teams, and to extend Atlanta’s winning streak to three games in a row.

What’s maddening is that this kind of performance should have mattered a great deal. It should have sewn up the division for the Falcons, if not for bewildering blowouts at the hands of the Panthers and Dolphins, missed kicks that ruined late chances against the Buccaneers and Patriots, and one infuriating, listless loss to the Jets. Win even one of those games and you’re in the playoffs, but instead the Falcons only found themselves when it was too late. That makes even a stellar win bittersweet, and makes the future of this team as cloudy as ever.

Because let’s face it: This team is far from a finished product, and even further away from being a consistently great team. They failed to block Jared Verse on a scoop-and-score blocked field goal, left everyone from Puka Nacua to Colby Parkinson to Xavier Smith wide open downfield at some point, likely got away with a late pass interference that would have given the Rams a chance to win or tie the game, and got truly discouraging production from their passing game and both Kyle Pitts and Drake London in particular. It was a warty, uneven effort this team could have lost in a dozen ways, and that kind of effort is so familiar that it’s hard not to want the winds of change to arrive in Flowery Branch this spring.

But. We knew this Falcons team had talent and a certain amount of grit, and regardless of any very justified grumbling we might do, beating the Rams is no mean feat. Beating the Rams when you’re almost totally reliant on one player on offense, your kicker, and your young defense to do so is crazy work, especially when you pull off something like intercepting Matthew Stafford in the second half for the first time all year. It may be too late to make the playoffs a reality and it may or may not be too late for some coaches and executives to remain here in 2026, but the win itself is still impressive as hell. It matters because Xavier Watts is building toward a great career and will be here next year, it matters because Bijan Robinson is growing into even more of a juggernaut, it matters because Zane Gonzalez has been able to stabilize a bad kicker situation, and it matters because this team’s flaws and needs are still impossible to overlook even as they win, ensuring Terry Fontenot, Raheem Morris, Matt Ryan, or whoever else may be here next year can’t ignore them. It matters because hey, we still like to see the Falcons win, and suddenly they’re doing just that.

We have one game left, hopefully featuring a thorough shellacking of the Saints, and then it’s on to a crucial offseason. I increasingly suspect that Fontenot and Morris will be here, with Ryan or someone else joining the organization in the name of adding a fresh voice and accountability, and I have a lot of trepidation about that. But seeing wins like these and seeing the growth for this defense in particular still gives me a certain amount of hope that there’s something better that can come out of yet another lost season, and we’re not far away from learning what the Falcons think that should look like. In the meantime, we can enjoy some actual fun Falcons football, as stressful as it may be.

On to the full recap.

The Good​

• We always talk about Bijan Robinson being a big play threat, but the truth is most of the time he’s turning negative or barely positive plays into significant gains, not ripping off dizzying long touchdown runs. There are exceptions, though, and perhaps they’ll start to arrive more often. In this one, Robinson pulled off one of the great plays of an already phenomenal career, slicing his way through defenders, making an unblocked safety miss entirely, and then getting loose late in the second quarter for a 93 yard touchdown run where he jogged off Roger McCreary’s desperate, last-second tackle attempt to make it 21-0 Atlanta. He would go on to rush for an absurd 195 yards on 23 carries and a score, reel in a team-high five catches for 34 yards and another score, and make a win possible en route to breaking William Andrews’ 30-plus-year-old single season franchise record for scrimmage yards. Raheem Morris calls him the best player in football because that’s his guy, but he also…might not be wrong.
• The line did a really nice job springing Robinson all night, with some help from Tyler Allgeier, Charlie Woerner, and Kyle Pitts, and they gave Kirk Cousins enough time to do better than he did. Given that this is deep in the season for an aging Jake Matthews, Ryan Neuzil is in his first year as a starter, and Elijah Wilkinson is the third-string right tackle, that’s work that deserves praise; it would even if these were all healthy, high-end starters.
• Jessie Bates is still the playmaker his reputation suggests when the opportunity arises. Sitting deep and watching Matthew Stafford, Bates was sitting in exactly the right position to take advantage of a high Stafford throw to Konata Mumpfield, intercepting it and then making a couple of guys miss en route to a 34 yard pick-six. It was the kind of play the Falcons need from Bates, and it came against a very tough opponent.
• Not to be outdone, Xavier Watts got his team-leading fourth interception of the year. With Kaden Elliss matched up against a receiver (and doing pretty well) deep downfield, Watts came in to snatch the ball away and end the Rams’ chances of scoring before the half. He had a coverage lapse later in the game, but more than made up for it in the fourth quarter by reading Matthew Stafford on a fourth down try and picking it off again, returning it to the Rams 31 yard line before he stepped out of bounds. The rookie ballhawk has had some growing pains, but looks like an impact defender already and has gotten better as the year goes on. The open field tackling and opportunistic defense make up for any shakiness in coverage, and I’m confident he’s going to get there.
• The Falcons legitimately rattled Stafford there off and on, which is not easy to do. Ruke Orhorhoro, Brandon Dorlus and Leonard Floyd all got sacks, but they also got in his face, made him feel pressure, and forced some uncharacteristically untidy throws that hurt the Rams offense. The pass rush is now just three sacks away from breaking the franchise single season record, too.
• Khalid Kareem had a phenomenal fourth down play. In past years, he’d be a player getting real snaps, but as a practice squad call-up he’s still a difference maker in limited opportunities; the Rams were going for it on fourth and short deep in Atlanta territory and he simply blew into the backfield and blew up the run for a loss to end the drive. It’s nice to see unheralded players making the most of their chances.
• Atlanta had a plan for Puka Nacua and it worked really, really well. The star receiver has been killing teams all year, but the Falcons used a heavy dose of A.J. Terrell and a little bit of rotation and safety help to hold him to five grabs for 47 yards and a touchdown. Nacua came close to making a couple more big plays and did score, but given the caliber of player he is, Jeff Ulbrich, Terrell, and the defense deserve credit for having a plan and executing it really, really well.
• Zane Gonzalez was not at fault on the blocked field goal, and he made the most of his other chances. The Falcons showed enormous confidence trotting him out there for a 56 yard try and barely trying to pick up additional yardage at the end of their final drive, resulting a 51 yarder he hit easily. It has been the better part of two seasons since the Falcons had confidence in their kicker to hit tries like that, and it bodes well for Gonzalez’s future that they do trust him.
• Bradley Pinion did a nice job of pinning the Rams deep, and his boot out of the back of Atlanta’s end zone was genuinely impressive.
• Building a 21-0 lead against the Rams, even if they gave it away, tells you how good can be at taking a look at their opponent and building an effective game plan. That and their ability to hang tough until the end are points in their favor; if only they were better at knowing what to do in between when they’re getting punched in the mouth.

The Ugly​

• How is it that at home, with an extremely veteran quarterback, you nearly pick up a delay of game early and then pick one up inside your own five yard line? I’m sure Michael Penix Jr. being essentially a rookie this year factored into some of those delay of game calls early on, but happening in your own stadium in Week 17 indicates a problem from the offensive staff. Atlanta now has eight delay of game calls on the year, which is tied for the fourth-highest total in the NFL. Those kinds of mistakes can’t carry into next year, no matter who is under center and on the sideline.
• The offense was Bijan or bust all night, something that got worse as the game wore on. Kyle Pitts got one deep target he appeared to pull up on because he wasn’t expecting the ball and one intermediate catch; Drake London had a couple of solid grabs along the way and then disappeared as well. That left Darnell Mooney and David Sills to pick up the slack slightly, but Bijan easily led the team in receptions and the Falcons couldn’t get it cooking downfield despite Cousins having time most of the night. That made the offense extremely one-dimensional and led to a lot of stalled drives when Bijan wasn’t doing special things, and the team’s inability to get the ball to more than 1-2 playmakers per game remains deeply frustrating.
• The trust in Gonzalez is great, but the sequence leading up to it was baffling. Anything you can do to make a field goal try shorter for your kicker is a worthwhile goal, so the Falcons stuffing Tyler Allgeier up the middle on three straight unproductive runs felt like they were petrified of turning the ball over and didn’t trust their passing game. That may well have been true, but it’s pretty sad if it is.
• Cousins was due for a bit of a dud. This one started promisingly enough, but we saw a little bit of 2024 Cousins in action as the night went on, with a pair of panicky near-interceptions thrown in the general direction of a receiver, an unwillingness or inability to extend plays, and a couple of misses. He’ll be better against the Saints, I’m sure.
• Elijah Wilkinson has extended his career this year by being a durable, surprisingly solid right tackle option all year long, admirable work for a third-string option. One thing he has not done well is avoid penalties, in particular false starts, and those calls have proven to be annoying at best and costly at worse. Wilkinson got popped twice in this one, and has been called for far too many false starts this year.
• The Falcons have had special teams miscues all year long that have proven to be deeply damaging, from missed field goals and extra points to get them to overtime to long returns that have broken games open. They keep that streak alive in Week 17, with Zane Gonzalez’s late third quarter field goal try blocked by an unblocked Jared Verse, who picked it up and brought it all the way back to turn what could have been a 27-10 game into a 24-17 game; otherwise things were fairly crisp. The Falcons just can’t get it totally right in this phase, and it’s likely to lead to sweeping special teams changes in 2026.
• Dee Alford’s aggression on that second down shot at the end of the game to Tutu Atwell was understandable, and he got away with it; I’m obviously and selfishly okay with that. Alford has also been a real asset for the Falcons all year long and had another fine game featuring a pass breakup and a couple of nice tackles, but the gulf in outcomes between Atwell catching that and immediately getting tackled (the Rams had no timeouts and may not have had the time to get a play off; it would have been close) and pass interference (first down, Rams in field goal range, a chance to take one game-sealing shot at the end zone) was wide enough that it was a real risk I would have preferred he didn’t take. Blessedly, we all went home (or just sat up straight on our couches) happy.
• The loss of Brandon Dorlus hurt, and seeing him absolutely crushed emotionally on the cart hurt even more. I really hope that injury was not as serious as it looked, because Dorlus was having a phenomenal second season and was so crucial to this rejuvenated pass rush. If it’s a serious injury it could bleed into next year, which would leave the Falcons with a pretty massive hole to fill.

The Wrapup​

Game MVP​

Obviously Bijan Robinson. Did you see that game? Crazy.

One Takeaway​

This is a pockmarked version of the team the Falcons want to be, all heart and fire and capable of using their ground game and defense to grind even great teams to dust. Whether they can get there without the caveats is the central question of 2026.

Next Week​

The season will end with the Falcons and Saints jockeying for a little momentum heading into the offseason, and for Atlanta, it’s a chance to torpedo Tampa Bay’s playoff chances once and for all.

Final Word​

Redhelmetmagic.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...the-bright-lights-brandon-dorlus-xavier-watts

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Bijan Robinson takes home NFC Offensive Player for Week 17

Bijan Robinson’s career year continued with another big performance in Week 17. The 195 yard, two touchdown night (one through the air and one on the ground) on paper was his best performance yet this year, and has now earned him his 2nd NFC offensive player of the week award.

Who else?

Your NFC Offensive Player of the Week, @Bijan5Robinson pic.twitter.com/bbWnV9fuKD

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 31, 2025

His first came in Week 6 when Atlanta upset another Super Bowl contender, beating the Buffalo Bills 24-14 on Monday Night. In that game, Robinson picked up 170 yards on the ground and a touchdown, and hauled in 6 catches for 68 yards. Robinson broke free for an 81-yard scramble on the way to the end zone, which at the time was the longest of his career until he took off for a 93-yard touchdown in the win against the Rams Monday, which also broke a franchise record.

Robinson’s 195 yards were the most rushing yards by a Falcons running back since 2008 when Michael Turner rumbled his way to 208 yards in the season finale against the St. Louis Rams. The performance also moved Robinson ahead of Christian McCaffrey for the most scrimmage yards by a player before turning 24 years-old, with 5,605 yards. There’s no doubt that Robinson has become a household name not just in Atlanta, but around the league. He’ll need just two yards on Sunday against New Orleans to break his career high rushing yards, and the Saints will no doubt be looking to try and game plan for him in the bitter NFC South rivalry showdown that has bigger implications than just bragging rights.

At least another Atlanta sub-500 year isn’t stopping Robinson from continuing his early career dominance in just his third NFL year. He’ll be headed to the Pro Bowl in February to represent Atlanta along with fellow offensive mate Chris Lindstrom. Whatever happens with the team next year, whether that be players traded, coaching personnel fired, or front office members shown the front door, Robinson being a key part of this team’s future brings me peace of mind for 2026 and beyond. So next year, let’s try and add a Super Bowl for Robinson in addition to Pro Bowl honors.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...n-takes-home-nfc-offensive-player-for-week-17

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

These are the 2025 Falcons, Week 17 film review: Tuesday Takes with Tre’Shon

The Falcons won a thriller over the Rams on Monday Night Football, and the game actually served as an excellent microcosm of Atlanta’s 2025 season. Kevin Knight and Tre’Shon Diaz break down the film from Week 17, and discuss why this victory and winning streak shouldn’t save Raheem Morris. Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of the Dirty Birds and Brews podcast!

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Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...eek-17-film-review-tuesday-takes-with-treshon

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Poll: Will the Falcons finish the season strong?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Falcons fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Heading into Week 18, we want to know how you’re feeling after watching the team so far this year. Every week of the season we will ask fans if they are confident the team is headed in the right direction and more of the most pressing questions facing the coming game. Let us know what you think!

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...oll-will-the-falcons-finish-the-season-strong

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

What to know about Falcons – Saints in the 2025 season finale

The first thing you should know is that this game matters. It matters because beating the Saints is the sacred duty of this franchise, one they need to fulfill, and in doing so leave a sour taste in the mouth of New Orleans and their fans for the first couple months of the offseason. This is important work, not to be taken lightly.

How will it go, though? The Falcons are better than they were the last time they faced the Saints, probably, but New Orleans has also clearly improved. This has led to Saints fans having some genuine swagger, which cannot be tolerated, especially in service of the belief that Tyler Shough is not only a rare second round franchise quarterback, but an old second round franchise quarterback. To dispel that notion, Atlanta will need to build on their effort last time out when they picked Shough off once and sacked him five times, all while containing a bulldozing back in Audric Estime, keeping Chris Olave from popping off, and enduring a few half-hearted Taysom Hill snaps.

Here’s what you need to know about the season finale.

Team rankings​

Team	Record	Points Scored	Yardage	Passing Yards	Rushing Yards	Points Against	Yardage Against	Passing Yards Against	Rushing Yardage Against	Turnovers Created	Turnovers Surrendered
Falcons	7-9	24	13	19	5	20	14	11	26	8	12
Saints	6-10	29	23	17	30	16	9	5	23	17	25

They have beaten four teams in a row—the freefalling Buccaneers, Panthers, Jets, and Titans—and that’s a sign of life, especially because they stomped out a Jets team the Falcons lost to. But nobody’s going to confuse the Saints with a good football team; they’re relatively stingy through the air but don’t do anything else at a super high level. There will need to be one or (hopefully) two good offseason before this roster is in real shape to contend, but Tyler Shough has given them some upside through the air and the defense continues to be better than I’d expect it to be.

The Falcons have settled in at last and chained together three wins, but their overall statistical profile still indicates something like a 7-9 win team, and they’ll end up with seven or eight wins. Again.

How the Saints have changed​

Since the last time the Falcons saw them, the big shift (besides winning) has been that their running back corps has been hit hard by injuries. Alvin Kamara went down in the Saints game, and impressive rookie fill-in Devin Neal has hit injured reserve. Audric Estime and Evan Hull are the last men standing, though Estime is coming off an impressive week.

Injuries have hit the Saints hard, in fact, but they’ve managed to weather them based on a combination of improved play and an easy schedule.

They will also be without Chris Olave, who is out after doctors discovered a blood clot in his lung; thankfully that’s not expected to be a long-term problem for him, but he’s wisely getting care and not suiting up Sunday. The Saints receiving corps will be Mason Tipton, Kevin Austin Jr., and Dante Pettis.

What to know about Week 18​

Everything the Falcons have done well this year will have to come together to ensure a win, and everything they’ve done poorly will need to be limited. The margin for error is wider than it was against the Rams, obviously, but games against the Saints are rarely as lopsided as the last one was.

The Saints are down to a skeleton crew at running back and wide receiver, which means the primary threats they’ll contend with are bruising plodder Audric Estime, professional annoyance Taysom Hill, and Shough. The latter has improved since the last time Atlanta saw him, avoiding interceptions the past three weeks and cutting his sack rate, but the Falcons defense is a far better unit than the sagging Jets or Titans and both forced an interception and sacked him five times last time out. His ability as a runner and strong arm still give him the potential to cause some havoc, so the Falcons can’t assume they’ll face the same largely overmatched rookie they saw last time out, even if his weapons are lesser.

Estime could be a little more challenging given Atlanta’s on-again, off-again issues with tackling. Hill will only be an issue if they let him be an issue, mostly by falling for the extremely remote possibility that he’ll pass the ball instead of simply running it as always.

The Saints pass rush will be one to watch against Kirk Cousins, as they’ve put together a quietly effective season and Cousins got happy feet under pressure last week. Leaning on Bijan Robinson, who is on fire at the moment, and Tyler Allgeier, who loves playing the Saints run defense, is clearly going to be the smart path to victory.

Otherwise, this is about avoiding turnovers and trying to force an overwhelmed Shough into mistakes without his top target. Do that and trim the penalties down and this should be a season-ending win; fail to do so and it might be the second time in three years a crushing loss to New Orleans precipitates a firing.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...025-season-finale-tyler-shough-bijan-robinson

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Reports: Falcons more likely to keep Raheem Morris than Terry Fontenot

We’re getting down to the wire now. With the 2025 season nearly over, big decisions are looming across the organization. The team has being working with the consulting firm Sportology this fall and winter in an effort to audit football operations and figure out what needs to change to pull out of what now stands at an eight year streak of losing season. Among the decisions to come? The fate of general manager Terry Fontenot, head coach Raheem Morris, and the possible addition of Matt Ryan to the franchise’s power structure, with all the roster changes you’d expect in the wake of those decisions.

With those possible changes looming, reporting around the team’s process and decisions to come have been heating up. In the past few days, in particular, insiders ranging from Albert Breer to Dianna Russini have reported something genuinely surprising: Fontenot may be out, but Morris may stay.

Here are the relevant passages from those reports, starting with Russini:

(Sportology’s work) is expected to be weighed alongside the organization’s internal evaluations: two seasons (and a 15-18 record) under coach Raheem Morris, five seasons under Fontenot, how this year has unfolded, the perceived state of the roster and the franchise’s overall team-building approach. Many around the league expect the Falcons to move on from Fontenot and stick with Morris as coach. One potential added voice to the mix? Former quarterback Matt Ryan, who is in talks to return to the organization in a front-office role.

And Breer:

• The Falcons’ recent surge—they’ve won three straight, and four of six after a five-game losing streak dropped them to 3–7—has cast some doubt on the long-held assumption in league circles that owner Arthur Blank was preparing to clean house.

In recent weeks, the consulting firm Sportology, which has helped Blank with his soccer teams, has been brought in to run a top-to-bottom health check on the team’s football operation. My understanding is that it’s actually better than some on the outside might think. And the prospect of Matt Ryan coming aboard in a Chris Spielman–type role could be in play.

All that isn’t to say everyone’s safe. But the winning streak will likely help coach Raheem Morris, in his second year, more than GM Terry Fontenot, who’s in his fifth year (Atlanta last made the playoffs in 2018). If there’s a GM change, Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham would be a name to watch, given the close relationship between Ryan and Chicago GM Ryan Poles, who was a lineman for the quarterback at Boston College 20 years ago. —A.B.

It is worth noting that other insiders are still ensure about Morris’s fortunes; Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler at ESPN have suggested he’s not a sure thing to be safe, and that he’d need to make staff changes even if he stays. But the Breer and Russini reports have come over the last 24 hours or so and match the sense that I’m getting from this organization, so we’ll entertain them in this article.

What do we make of this? Here’s what I think:

1. Matt Ryan’s hire is expected, and if he comes on, he’d be overseeing a general manager hire and comfortable with keeping Morris. His multiple years with Morris on the team—he was the interim head coach in 2020 and on the team’s staff from 2015-2020—give him first-hand knowledge of how the coach operates, and that experience likely has convinced Ryan that the team can win with Morris at the helm if he has the right personnel. I wouldn’t rule out coordinator and position coach changes, however, and would in fact expect them. Morris may well be obligated to add a new coach to the staff who is focused on game management, which has still been a bit of a struggle for him in 2025, but the fact that he’s been around only two years and the team is zeroing in personnel would keep him around.
2. Sportology and the team’s internal decision makers have hit on Fontenot being a bigger problem than Morris, with Fontenot’s five years running the team and overseeing five losing seasons, habit of trading up in the draft, and consistent problems with roster depth and positional weaknesses likely contributing to that perception. From a process standpoint, Sportology and the Falcons would have to believe that Fontenot and company have been guilty of missteps that have led to the current state of the roster, while also putting the bulk of the team’s failings over the past five seasons at his feet. Fontenot’s longevity would be working against him in this scenario, as he has worked with two head coaches with eerily consistent results over that span.
3. The Falcons, if they were to go this route, would have to believe that they could pull in a quality general manager with Ryan in his new position and a head coach already installed. Breer’s suggestion of Cunningham makes sense for multiple reasons, as he’s been thought of as a future GM candidate for multiple years, would be familiar to Ryan thanks to his connection to Bears GM Ryan Poles, and has more of a college scouting background than Fontenot’s pro personnel background. That may well be a priority for the team going forward, given their many high profile free agency swings not adding up to winning seasons.
4. Atlanta does not believe they are that far away, something their consultants would presumably confirm. I’ve talked many, many times about how dangerous I think that line of thinking can be for this team, given that it has led them to take shortcuts in the past that have led to their current situation. But keeping your current head coach suggests you think better personnel decisions in the offseason can get you from 8-9 to where you want to go. The only other read is that they don’t believe they can hire a better coach than Morris this offseason and that he’s essentially on a one-year, prove-it deal heading into the 2026 season, so take your pick there.

The Falcons will once again be zigging where other teams zag if they go this route, given that it’s not all that common for teams to swap out a general manager while keeping a head coach. If these reports prove accurate, the hope would be that better decisions with the roster will lead to better outcomes for Morris, with Ryan and a new general manager providing a direction that finally pulls the Falcons out of their mediocrity while Morris and a tweaked coaching staff get better out of Atlanta’s roster than they’ve been able to over the past two years. It would be a bet, ironically enough, on the talent Fontenot has been able to assemble to this point while simultaneously charting a new course into the future.

We’ll find out soon enough if this is indeed the avenue Atlanta intends to travel, at which point we can react appropriately. I do think change to the front office is probably appropriate, given that Fontenot’s group has added impact talent to the top of the roster but has only managed to assemble quality depth at a small handful of positions and spent a lot of money and draft capital on quarterback over the past five years with not enough to show for it. But keeping Morris and betting on a short-term lift with the team’s draft capital and resources set to be limited in 2026 and lots of new faces in the team’s power structure feels like a big bet, to put it mildly, one I’m not sure will pay off. We may well be looking at a complete overhaul in two parts, with 2027 arriving for the coaching staff, unless Morris can turn a strong finish to 2025 into something better than expected in 2026. All we can reasonably ask of the Falcons is that they land on something that builds toward long-term success at last.

What do you think of these reports?

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...aheem-morris-than-terry-fontenot-arthur-blank

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Atlanta Falcons Power Rankings: Sweet victory and sweeping the Saints

This has been one of the most frustrating Atlanta Falcons seasons in recent memory. Not because the lows were shocking, but because the highs kept pulling you back in. It feels like a long road to get here, full of false starts, brief surges of hope, and the familiar realization that this team was never quite ready to take control of its own story. Performances like the one we saw on Monday remind you why expectations existed in the first place. For a moment, they looked like the kind of team that should win the NFC South.

But seasons aren’t remembered by moments alone.

This is the same Falcons team that lost both head-to-head matchups against the Carolina Panthers, now sitting in the driver’s seat for the division. The same team that failed to score a single point against the Miami Dolphins during the bleakest stretch of their year. And despite all of that, this season will likely end not with a sweeping reset, but with Arthur Blank retaining Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot, with the lone significant change expected to be the firing of special teams coordinator Marquice Williams.

Another offseason where the answers feel partial, at best.

That’s the exhausting part. This team asked fans to stay invested all year, even as the results rarely matched the promise. A lost season that never felt fully alive, yet not truly dead, just an arduous grind that carried Falcons fans all the way to January.

And yet, here we are, one last week left, with the NFC South still capable of doing the funniest thing possible. If the Buccaneers take care of business against the Panthers, Carolina could end up needing a Falcons win to get into the postseason. After everything this year has put us through, it would be fitting for Atlanta to still have a hand in the final result.

Most of the playoff picture is already set, outside of some elimination games in the AFC North and NFC South. There’s even a potential heavyweight matchup that could decide the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The league keeps moving forward, as it always does.

For the Falcons, though, this final week feels less about stakes and more about closure. One more game. One more chance to make sense of a season that asked for a lot and gave just enough to keep Falcons fans watching.

Okay, enough talk. Let’s get into the final week of power rankings:

1) New England Patriots (13-3) (+1)​

Go ahead and load up the MVP chants. Drake “Drake Maye” Maye has captained a beautiful season for this Patriots team, and it has a chance to end with them snatching the #1 seed in the AFC.

2) Seattle Seahawks (13-3) (-1)​

Did they find a way to win? Absolutely. But I’m having flashbacks to the Sam Darnold that showed up at the end of the year for the Minnesota Vikings, and I’m having some trepidations. Still an amazing football team with a great defense that would deserve the #1 seed in the NFC if they pull it off against the 49ers.

3) Denver Broncos (13-3) (+1)​

They keep finding ways to pull it out. I can’t be too upset about it. But how sustainable is this method of relying on the defense to do enough? We’ll see, but for now, the Broncos are probably going to be the #1 seed in the AFC, so long as they don’t lay an egg against the Chargers’ second string.

4) San Francisco 49ers (12-4) (+4)​

They’re back. The 49ers offense looks like the well-oiled machine that we have come to know and love from Kyle Shanahan.

5) Los Angeles Rams (11-5) (-2)​

That was…shocking. I mean, the #1 seed was still in play for this Rams team, but I guess the Falcons’ defense, especially Xavier Watts, was a bit too much for them.

6) Buffalo Bills (11-5) (-1)​

Despite the loss to Philadelphia, Buffalo still has the best player in these playoffs in quarterback Josh Allen. Keep him healthy, and let’s see if he can will this ship to the promised land.

7) Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) (-1)​

With the way the injury luck has been for the Chargers, I’d sit everyone, too.

8) Chicago Bears (11-5) (-1)​

The Bears have been showing for weeks that they are a team that deserves your attention. Despite letting up 42 points to San Francisco last week, the Bears have shown that they are ready to take on some of the league’s best.

9) Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) (+1)​

Liam Coen has Duval humming right now. I’ll admit when I’m wrong, and boy, was I wrong about these Jags. I can’t wait to see how Trevor Lawrence looks with this offense in the playoffs. For now, let’s down the Titans one more time and walk in with their first division title since 2022.

10) Houston Texans (11-5) (+1)​

Can the Houston Texans pull off the AFC South after an abysmal start to the season? Yes. Will it matter? Not really. I don’t think there’s a team in the conference that wants to see this version of the Texans defense.

11) Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) (+1)​

I love and hate the way the Eagles play football right now. I love the way they sort of bring anybody down in the mud with them with this Vic Fangio defense. But, this offense is an affront to football fans everywhere.

12) Green Bay Packers (9-6-1) (-3)​

Tune up the band, University of Houston’s own Clayton Tune is set to start on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

13) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) (even)​

It’s hilarious that Mike Tomlin will never have a losing season in Pittsburgh, despite how disjointed the operation may seem. Can they parlay this into a playoff spot that nobody at the start of the season saw coming? They have a great shot to do so.

14) Baltimore Ravens (8-8) (even)​

There’s truly no way the Ravens don’t get into the playoffs, right? Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, there’s no way the Ravens don’t find a way to get it done with these two on the team, right?

15) Carolina Panthers (8-8) (even)​

I need the Panthers to lose, not because I’m bitter about the sweep, but because sweeping the Falcons and then relying on them to beat the Saints to get into the playoffs, while under .500, would be the perfect way for the NFC South champion to limp into this year’s playoffs.

16) Minnesota Vikings (8-8) (+3)​

This defense truly is something. Now, J.J. McCarthy comes out for one more game against the Green Bay Packers, at home, to show that he truly is the QB of the future.

17) Detroit Lions (8-8) (-1)​

What an ass-whooping. The Lions had no answer for the Vikings and the pressure this defense sent their way. There’s going to be some real soul-searching after this season.

18) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9) (-1)​

There’s no other way to say it: This finish to the season for Tampa Bay has been disappointing, to say the least. Tampa can’t find a way to get the offense going, and Baker Mayfield doesn’t look like himself. It’s been a rough go.

19) Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1) (+1)​

The way this Dallas offense has been playing, they probably deserve to be playing in the playoffs, but there are three phases of the game, and the defense took too long to catch up with the offensive output. Maybe next year, Cowboys fans.

20) Indianapolis Colts (8-8) (-2)​

This has been an unfair season for Colts fans. And now, they don’t have their first-round pick for the next two years, while the player that they traded those picks for is defending himself on social media. It’s not looking great.

21) Atlanta Falcons (7-9) (+2)​

What a way to end the season. Four straight victories. Man, the Falcons haven’t had a stretch like this at the end of the year since 2019…when Dan Quinn saved his job despite the team looking lifeless for most of the season…

Ah, it’s going to be fine…

22) Miami Dolphins (7-9) (+1)​

Despite the Tua situation, it’s nice to see the Dolphins play winning football down the stretch.

23) Cincinnati Bengals (6-10) (even)​

I’m going to keep saying it: Boy, it feels good to see Joe Burrow play football again.

24) Kansas City Chiefs (6-10) (-3)​

Did you know that the Kansas City Chiefs have not had a 1000-yard receiver since 2021? The only player to eclipse the 1000-yard mark was Travis Kelce in 2022 (1,338). Crazy…anyway.

25) New Orleans Saints (6-10) (+1)​

Tyler Shough has accomplished his mission: Get a chance to start next season. With the Saints not being bad enough to be in play for what’s probably going to be a two-quarterback race, Shough has provided the freedom to build the team around the position. That is, unless the Falcons harass him enough to force an abysmal game out of him…

26) Washington Commanders (4-12) (+1)​

They may have lost, but at least they showed a bit of fight. The Commanders got bit bad by the injury bug this season. Hopefully, they can find some silver linings in that.

27) Arizona Cardinals (3-13) (-2)​

With a loss, this will be the first time the Cardinals have lost nine straight games to end a season since 1944. Not great, Jonathan Gannon. Not great.

28) Cleveland Browns (4-12) (+2)​

With the Steelers being more focused on keeping Myles Garrett away from the sack record, the Browns were able to sneak another victory in there before the end of the season. And, who knows, maybe Garrett still does snag the record this week.

29) Tennessee Titans (3-13) (-1)​

The Titans have been playing spoiler for the Jaguars since 1999. Wouldn’t it be something if they could spoil their chances for a division title, too?

30) New York Jets (3-13) (-1)​

We don’t have to talk about it, Jets fans. Let’s just…let’s just move on.

31) New York Giants (3-13) (even)​

Here is your winner (or loser?) of the Toilet Bowl. With Jaxson Dart in tow, I guess it didn’t really matter who won, but the Giants will have some buyers come April, since this is only a two-quarterback draft.

32) Las Vegas Raiders (2-14) (even)​

Fernando Mendoza, come on down!

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...ankings-sweet-victory-and-sweeping-the-saints

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Falcons disappointing season ends with a sweep of the Saints: Week 18 snap Reactions

The Atlanta Falcons swept the New Orleans Saints, ending the season on a four-game win streak after a midseason collapse that cost them a chance at the playoffs. The Falcons are technically tied for 1st place in the division, but after doing the math, they fall to 3rd in the playoff tiebreaker order.

Here’s the Week 18 snap reactions.

James Pearce Jr. silences doubters​

Ten sacks and counting from the ROOF @JamesPearceJr10

FOX | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/oxx00LOwIz

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 4, 2026

James Pearce Jr. is the first Falcon with double-digit sacks since Vic Beasley in 2016. The team’s second first-round pick of 2025 was the face of the Falcons’ revamped pass rush. The pressure to perform was on Pearce from the start, and he did not disappoint. Pearce produced the most sacks by a rookie since Micah Parsons, and he showed continued improvement week to week instead of being a flash in the pan.

The conversation about whether he was worth the trade won’t be over for a few years, but there is no doubt that Pearce won the first battle.

Kirk Cousins is not a viable 2026 option​

Cousins has been fine, operating in the mid-average range, but he hasn’t been worth the money, and that’s not going to change with a third year on the team. He makes life more challenging for the offensive line, and in a season where he played only half the games, his arm looked ready to fall off in this final bout.

You don’t pay $30M to watch a guy skip rocks and dump it off to Bijan; even Gardner Minshew can do that. Even if Cousins were willing to negotiate his deal, he shouldn’t be prioritized. It’s time for the Falcons to save themselves $22M and move on.

They are what their record says they are​

This is a losing team; they are losers. There is no erasing the seven losses in eight weeks that followed the team’s 3-2 start, and there’s no excusing it. Raheem Morris has said the standard since his arrival is to win and make the playoffs; his team has catastrophically failed to seize the moment when it has presented itself. Players aren’t even happy after they score touchdowns. Drake London had to be held back as he made a beeline for WR Coach TJ Yates, ignoring Raheem Morris in the process.

8-9 is the perfect representation of who they are: a team that knows how to win but finds a way to lose.

Completely ignoring Morris lmao and looks like he makes a bee-line for WRs coach TJ Yates https://t.co/VFrMNPHigH

— Tre’Shon (@tre3shon) January 4, 2026

F*$% the Saints​

New Orleans, you suck and got swept by Raheem Morris. Boom, roasted.

A big revamp ahead​

A lot of focus has been on this coaching staff, but there is going to be significant roster turnover this year, and the team has multiple holes they’ll have to fill at WR, OT, DB, QB, LB, IDL, and they need half those signings at minimum to be viable on special teams. This necessary overhaul could be the reason why we’re hearing that Fontenot is more likely to be canned than Morris at this point.

After 5 years, Fontenot’s roster has nearly as many holes as it did when he started, and he’s failed to solidify the quarterback position. The Falcons shouldn’t be running back to the craps table just because Fontenot finally hit it big in 2025, and current rumors suggest they won’t.

Is momentum real?​

Well, I’m no physicist, but if Atlanta truly believes in momentum, then the weight of two back-to-back losing seasons with mid-year implosions should outweigh a four-game win streak. It’s been nearly 10 years since the Falcons have played meaningful football, yet they are stuck asking the same questions while choosing the same answers.

If this franchise is serious about change, then they have to acknowledge that the way they have fundamentally viewed the game during this drought is wrong, but such humility has been lost on Rich McKay and company.

Thank you for reading my work this season. It was a pleasure to experience the psyop with all of you, and I wish you a happy New Year as we head into the offseason.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...e-saints-week-18-snap-reactions-raheem-morris

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Falcons promote Greg Beadles to CEO, move Rich McKay to new role

Rich McKay has been a prominent part of the Atlanta Falcons organization for over two decades now. Hired as general manager under new owner Arthur Blank back in 2003, McKay oversaw one playoff team and drafted franchise stalwarts like Roddy White and Jonathan Babineaux before a disastrous Bobby Petrino hire led to Blank replacing him heading into 2008. Instead of getting fired, though, McKay took on an even more prominent role as the President/CEO and then CEO, with a level of involvement in football operations and decision-making that has never been entirely clear.

Along the way, McKay has been a prominent piece of the NFL’s competition committee and one of Blank’s most trusted lieutenants, overseeing efforts to secure funding for and build Mercedes-Benz Stadium and at least intermittently serving as a layer between Blank and the team’s general manager and head coach. That role, opaque to most everyone outside the organization yet clearly significant and vital for Blank, made McKay a lightning rod for many fans who believed his presence with the Falcons had gone on too long at best and was actively impeding the team’s efforts to win at worst.

After that long run, though, we’re reminded that nothing lasts forever. On Monday morning, less than 24 hours after the team fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot, the team announced that they’re moving McKay to a new role that seems like it will take him out of the Falcons orbit almost entirely. In corresponding moves, they’re promoting Greg Beadles to CEO for the franchise and hiring a new president of football, a position we all expect to be filled by Matt Ryan.

From Arthur Blank’s letter to fans:

As part of our ongoing succession planning, Greg Beadles has been elevated from president to president and CEO of the Atlanta Falcons, effective today, succeeding Rich McKay. Greg will continue oversight of all business affairs of the Falcons and collaborate closely with the new president of football to ensure all resources and operational support are working toward the goal of a winning product on the field, and that we continue to deliver for our fans in every way.

Beadles, who has been with the Falcons for 29 years (!) and was promoted to team president in 2023, will oversee everything but the day-to-day work of running getting a football team on the field for Atlanta in his new role. Beadles has operated as the team’s Chief Financial Officer in the past, predates Arthur Blank with the Falcons, and handles team and facility operations, finance, marketing, communications, and community relations, among a bevy of other roles. Some of those responsibilities may be backfilled by a new hire, but chances are good that the new president of football position will take on the day-to-day operational responsibility for…well, football. Beadles will oversee everything else that makes an NFL franchise hum on a day-to-day basis, which by all accounts he’s quite good at, and work with that new football hire in that capacity.

McKay, meanwhile, will focus on the broader Arthur M. Blank Sports + Entertainment portfolio, including the upcoming World Cup, Atlanta’s 2028 hosting of the Super Bowl, and so forth. McKay will remain one of Blank’s trusted confidants and a prominent part of the broader AMBSE organization, but his involvement in the operation of the actual Falcons franchise seems like it’s finally drawing to a close; I’m certain many Falcons fans have been waiting a long time to read that. Beadles will be responsible for working with the next head coach and general manager, plus that president of football position, to reorganize the front office according to recommendations from the consulting firm Sportology.

This is an indicator of an already apparent seismic shift in the organization, and arguably the largest shift in over two decades. It’s one thing to swap out a coach and a general manager at the same time, something Arthur Blank has only done once before yesterday—remember, Bobby Petrino was already gone in 2007, while Thomas Dimitroff survived 2014 and Terry Fontenot made it through 2023—and another entirely to replace McKay in the Falcons power structure with someone else. Blank indicated in his letter that this has been in the works for some time, something that is backed up by Beadles’ elevation in recent years, but is still noteworthy as it arrives on the heels of two major firings.

It signals that the Falcons are going to look drastically different from a process standpoint starting in 2026, something that is beyond welcome after the team has put together eight straight losing seasons and 11 losing seasons in their past 13 years. However malign or benign his influence may have ultimately been, it’s difficult to argue that McKay continuing to sit in a position of power for the Falcons was wise, given the lack of recent success during his tenure and the unwanted negative attention he drew from the fanbase and local media who believed he was a key player in a bevy of bad decisions for the Falcons.

We now wait to see who the new president of football is—again, it’s probably Matt Ryan—and congratulate Beadles on his new position, from which we hope he’ll be able to help streamline and improve an organization that has been mired in mediocrity for eight years now. Hopefully the Falcons are on a new, better path starting today, while McKay helps ensure some of the biggest events in Atlanta in the coming years go off without a hitch.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...h-mckay-new-role-greg-beadles-replaces-as-ceo

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Atlanta Falcons head coaching search 2026: Tracking candidates, reports, and rumors

The Atlanta Falcons fired Raheem Morris the same day they won their final game of the 2025 regular season, and jumped immediately into the search for his successor. There are already multiple reports out there about candidates they’ve asked to interview or intend to talk to, so don’t expect this empty spot to last very long.

We’ll try to keep on top of fast-moving news about Atlanta’s head coaching vacancy right here, so join us for updates.

Former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski​

Status: Falcons reportedly will talk to

The ex-Browns head coach, who was fired after yet another disappointing season, is expected to speak with the Falcons about their vacancy. Despite the woeful state of the Browns, Stefanski remains a well-regarded coach who seemed ultimately to lose his spirit in the face of the overwhelming dysfunction in Cleveland. Atlanta could be a nice bounceback spot for him, and one of the better hires the team could make if they’re hellbent on making Michael Penix Jr. work.

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver​

Status: Falcons requested an interview

The longtime defensive line coach and former Ravens assistant head coach is in his second year as Miami’s defensive coordinator, where he’s endured a tough 2025 after a stellar 2024. The uneven results in a lost season for Miami haven’t made Weaver a less desirable candidate for Atlanta, however, and the Falcons surely remember how thoroughly the Dolphins defense shut them down in an embarrassing loss earlier this season.

Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak​

Status: Falcons requested an interview

Kubiak got some buzz as the offensive coordinator for the woeful Saints in 2024, especially after a fast start, but has done head-turning work with the Seattle Seahawks this year en route to a #1 seed in the NFC. The Falcons will try to figure out if the relatively young, relatively inexperienced coach is the next Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur, or Sean McVay, or a terrific coordinator who isn’t ready for primetime just yet.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...s-klint-kubiak-anthony-weaver-kevin-stefanski

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Atlanta Falcons GM candidates 2026: Team requests interview with Chicago Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham

The Atlanta Falcons have already gotten started on lining up head coaching interviews, with requests in to the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks for Anthony Weaver and Klint Kubiak, respectively. Now we’ve gotten word that they have reached out to the Chicago Bears to interview assistant general manager Ian Cunningham for their open GM gig.

CBS Sports reporter Jonathan Jones is the first one on it. Suffice to say this is not a surprise.

The Falcons have requested permission to interview Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham for their vacant GM position, source tells @NFLonCBS. Cunningham is a strong early candidate in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/uG7nV4HoNo

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 6, 2026

Cunningham was the first name we heard linked to the opening after it became clear the team would fire GM Terry Fontenot, which they did after their final game of the season on Sunday. Cunningham works closely with Bears GM Ryan Poles, who was college teammates with former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, a widely reported candidate for Atlanta’s new president of football position.

But it’s about more than just a link. Cunningham is extremely deserving of an extended look, with a background as a personnel assistant and area scout for the Ravens (2008-2016), the director of college scouting, assistant director of player personnel, and director of player personnel in order for the Ravens (2017-2021), and the assistant general manager for the Bears. All three of those franchises have added significant talent during Cunningham’s stints, and he was interviewed in the last couple of cycles, though he ultimately didn’t land his first general manager gig.

Poles has praised his deputy repeatedly, singling him out as somebody who challenges him on decisions and helps keep the front office working together effectively.

“I am blessed out of my socks to have him by my side through this process,” Poles said of Cunningham back in April. “Just especially, when you reflect back to the first two years getting this thing off the ground. To have a guy like him that’s not a ‘yes’ man that keeps me in line when I start getting off track, to keep our staff together when I get pulled in different directions, we wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for Ian, as well as being there and being an unbelievable partner.”

Cunningham looks like the favorite for the job based on reporting to this point, Poles’ estimation of him and connection to Ryan, and his background in college scouting, with this team needing to be effective in the draft to try to build and sustain a winner. We’ll see who else emerges in the coming days as a candidate, but no one should be surprise if Cunningham ends up as the Falcons’ new general manager.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...istant-gm-ian-cunningham-ryan-poles-matt-ryan

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Falcons look to interview Lions COO Mike Disner for president of football job

The news about all three of Atlanta’s big searches—for head coach, for general manager, and for the new president of football—is coming in fast and furious just two days after they fired Raheem Morris, canned Terry Fontenot, and shuffled Rich McKay out of his CEO gig. While Matt Ryan is considered the heavy favorite for the PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL job (I’m thinking of making it all caps full-time for emphasis), they are bringing in other candidates.

We learned earlier today that 49ers director of scouting and operations Josh Williams was one such candidate, and now Mike Disner is the second. The chief operating officer for the Detroit Lions, Disner has been in the NFL in some capacity since 2005, when he was an intern and then a scout with the Patriots. He’s served as the director of football administration for the Cardinals and vice president of football administration for the Lions, too.

The Falcons have put in a request to interview Lions COO Mike Disner for their president of football operations role, sources said. Disner has been integral working alongside GM Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell on Detroit's rebuild.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 6, 2026

Like Williams, Disner seems like a longshot because Ryan’s involved in the search, but he’s also an interesting candidate. In his current role, the Lions say he “assumes responsibilities across both the football and business management teams, overseeing the organization’s football operations and football administration, as well as leading the Lions’ strategy and revenue teams.” That sounds like a role that bridges multiple functions, which fits with Arthur Blank’s description of the role as overseeing football operations but also working with Greg Beadles on the business side in Atlanta. Disner does not have the same background in the on-field product that, say, Williams would have as a longtime scout or Ryan would have as a legendary player, but he’s a worthwhile candidate.

Even though I expect the Falcons to just hire Ryan, they’re building a good candidate list for this role, which I do appreciate. Let’s see how Disner fares.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...isner-for-president-of-football-job-matt-ryan

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Falcons set to interview Panthers EVP Brandt Tillis for football president opening

The Carolina Panthers weren’t good, exactly, but the arrow appears to be pointing up for the reluctant NFC South champions. That means their brass are attracting a little bit of attention from other teams.

That includes one team in their own division. The Atlanta Falcons are reportedly asking to interview Brandt Tillis, an executive vice president for Carolina, for the football president, president of football, whatever you want to call it position they just created.

#Panthers EVP Brandt Tilis is interviewing for the newly created Football President role for the #Falcons, source said. One of the key decision makers in Carolina.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2026

Tillis was hired by the Panthers in 2024 to assist general manager Dan Morgan on the financial side of football operations, specifically cap and contracts, and came over after 14 seasons in Kansas City, mostly in similar roles overseeing the salary cap, contract negotiations, and football administration. That’s a lot of experience concentrated in an area the Falcons could certainly use help in, given their raft of upcoming big contracts for players like Drake London and Bijan Robinson, and their uncertain cap picture at the moment.

Tillis joins Matt Ryan, Josh Williams from the 49ers, and Mike Disner from the Lions as known candidates for the football president job. While Ryan is expected to be offered the job, the team may want to also hire an experienced executive in an adjacent role, and any of those three seem like they would be fine choices. We’ll see if we get any updates on this search before Arthur Blank’s Thursday press conference.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...s-for-football-president-opening-arthur-blank

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Atlanta Falcons head coaching search 2026: Broncos DC Vance Joseph interview requested

The Atlanta Falcons continue to waste no time with their head coaching search and have now extended a request to Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

Broncos DC Vance Joseph’s interview requests:

– Titans
– Cardinals
– Raiders
– Giants
– Falcons

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 6, 2026

Joseph has been a defensive coach in the NFL since 2005, starting with the San Francisco 49ers as an assistant defensive backs coach. His first coordinator gig came in 2016 with the Miami Dolphins. Joseph has had one stint as a head coach with his current team, the Denver Broncos, from 2017 to 2018.

During this short tenure, Joseph’s Broncos finished in fourth and third place in the AFC West division, going 5-11 and 6-10, respectively. However, it’s fair to note that his quarterbacks in those two seasons were Trevor Siemian and Case Keenum. Joseph’s defenses weren’t elite during this time, but they were far from being the team’s biggest problem, and many feel it wasn’t an easy situation to succeed in. He was the first coach to follow up the Super Bowl-winning staff led by Gary Kubiak and quarterbacked by Peyton Manning.

Afterwards, Joseph returned to a defensive coordinator role and has continued to succeed in it. His Broncos defense gets after the quarterback and has been considered a top-5 unit over the past two years. These defenses are known for their speed and ability to get after the quarterback; sound familiar?

Many are pining after an offensive coach, but Joseph is well-respected in the league, and he’s more than earned the opportunity for an interview and potential head coaching job somewhere, if not in Atlanta.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...seph-interview-requested-arthur-blank-broncos

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Falcons request president of football interview with 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams

Atlanta appears to be lining up to hire Matt Ryan as their president of football, a new role meant to oversee the front office and coaching staff, but they were never going to just interview him and call it a day.

So now we have another candidate in the mix in the form of Josh Williams, a longtime scout with the San Francisco 49ers who has spent the past two seasons as their director of scouting and football operations; he’s spent 14 years with the 49ers overall and began his career in the organization when Jim Harbaugh was running the show. In that role, Williams “directs pro and college scouting efforts, supports player development, and assists in contract negotiations,” per the team’s website. Williams is well-regarded enough to be in the mix for the general manager role in Miami, where he’s familiar with head coach Mike McDaniel, and would be a fine hire in that role in Atlanta, as well.

It’s fair to say Williams seems like a long shot for the president of football role, however, which the Falcons appear to have created with Matt Ryan in mind. Cynical as it may be to say it, the team has appeared locked in on Ryan even before they announced the new role, which means interviews like Williams will be seen essentially as checked boxes so the Falcons can say they’ve interviewed more than one candidate and satisfied the Rooney Rule. That’s a shame because Williams is an interesting candidate for this role, given that he’s overseeing scouting and working on contracts for one of the best organizations in the sport, and would likely parlay that experience with the 49ers into thoughtful work and a new perspective for a team that needs both badly. As much as I love the idea of Ryan riding to the rescue for this franchise again, I’d like to think that if Williams is simply the more impressive candidate, that the Falcons will pivot and hire him; perhaps they’ll surprise us.

If Williams doesn’t land this job with the Falcons, perhaps he could be in play for a role in the front office. Given that Miami is also chasing him and that he has that strong connection with McDaniel, however, Williams likely won’t have to settle in the likely event the Falcons hire Ryan as their president of football. We’ll see how it goes.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...d-football-operations-josh-williams-matt-ryan

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Atlanta Falcons head coach candidates 2026: Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley requested

The Atlanta Falcons are casting a predictably wide net with their head coaching interviews, and the latest sign that this part of the search may take a bit is that they’re requesting interviews with coaches they can’t actually interview just yet.

Jeff Hafley is one such candidate. A longtime college coach who broke into the NFL in 2012 with the Buccaneers, Hafley has been a defensive backs coach in the pros, a defensive coordinator in college, a head coach at Boston College, and has spent the past two years as the defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers. He’s a candidate now because the Packers defense has been excellent the past two years after many seasons of defensive coordinator carousel time, and because Hafley does have head coaching experience, albeit a so-so run with Boston College. It’s worth noting that Boston College hasn’t been good since Jeff Jagodzinski was coaching Matt Ryan and a post-Matt Ryan team in 2007-2008, though.

The Falcons, Cardinals and Titans have put in requests to interview Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley for their HC jobs, per sources. Hafley can't interview until next week, with Green Bay going to Chicago Saturday.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 8, 2026

I would consider Hafley a long shot for this job, both because he’s not as experienced as some of the other candidates and Atlanta’s likely looking for an offensive-minded head coach, but the interest reflects the caliber of the job he’s done with Green Bay. It’s clearly important to the Falcons that their gains on that side of the ball don’t go away, even if they’d rather have a coach who can lift the offense and would consider keeping Jeff Ulbrich as defensive coordinator, and so we can’t entirely rule his candidacy out. These coaches do have to interview, after all, and what Hafley lacks in connections to this franchise, he could make up for with impressing Arthur Blank and company.

Stay tuned for more interview requests, because we all know they’re coming.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...oordinator-jeff-hafley-requested-jeff-ulbrich

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Falcons Reacts Survey Offseason: Who should be the next head coach?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Falcons fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Falcons find themselves in a fascinating position as a team seeking a new coach. They don’t have a general manager. They are looking to bring a franchise legend into their operations. The roster clearly possesses talent on both sides of the ball. No team definitively beats the Bills and Rams without having a level of star power. That creates plenty of intrigue for candidates who want to be in a position to win immediately. The opportunity is to make your mark as the person to revive a franchise in dire need of playing meaningful January football.

Interviews are starting to be scheduled. Some will have to wait until the coach’s current team is eliminated from the playoffs or makes it to the Super Bowl. There’s no strong offensive or defensive preference for the next hire, given the lack of highly-regarded offensive coaches on the market. Finding the coach who will implement a cohesive system, solidified structure, and unified culture will be imperative for the Falcons to get this next hire right.

Who would you like to see the Falcons hire to be the next head coach? Are you confident where the team is headed? Let us know below.

Editor’s Note: This poll was created before the Ravens fired John Harbaugh.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...y-offseason-who-should-be-the-next-head-coach

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

Falcons begin search for president, head coach, and GM: Falcoholic Live, Ep359

The Falcons began their search for a new “president of football” alongside their search for a new head coach and general manager, with interviews already underway. Kevin Knight breaks down the top candidates for each position, along with potential timelines for the hires at all three spots. Also some offseason talk, including the adjustment to Kirk Cousins contract and what it means for Atlanta’s QB room in 2026. Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of The Falcoholic Live!

Watch the stream below or on YouTube​

You can also listen to all of our video shows in an audio-only podcast format, available on all your favorite podcast platforms or by using the player below. The podcast typically posts a few hours after the live show records.

If you’re interested in supporting the show, become a Channel Member or check out our Patreon page to unlock access to exclusive perks including Patron Q&A sessions, Discord perks, live shout-outs and more!

Be sure to check out the new community Discord server here! Come chat with your fellow Falcons fans about the show, the team, the NFL draft, and more.

You can watch the show here on The Falcoholic, but we recommend watching on YouTube for the best experience—including full 1080p HD video and access to the live Q&A in the chat. You can also access the show using your smart TV or device using the YouTube app for the real big-screen experience!

We hope you enjoy the show! If you have comments, we’d love to hear them. Send them to us on Twitter (@FalcoholicLive), leave them below, or e-mail the show at [email protected].

Thanks for watching!

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...ident-head-coach-and-gm-falcoholic-live-ep359

 

[Atlanta Falcons]

NFL All-Pro selections: Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan named to first team

Bijan Robinson just led the entire NFL in scrimmage yards during a wizardly campaign where he rushed for a career-high 1,478 yards, reeled in a career-high 79 passes for 820 yards, and scored a combined 11 touchdowns. It was one of the most impressive seasons in franchise history, and it’s now earned him a first-team All-Pro nod.

Robinson is the first Falcons first teamer since Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Vic Beasley all were honored back during the 2016 season. Jessie Bates, Kyle Pitts, and Chris Lindstrom were all named second-team All-Pros.

Bijan Robinson was also named AP first team All-Pro this morning. He’s the first #Falcons player to earn that nod since Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Vic Beasley did it in 2016.

Chris Lindstrom, Kyle Pitts, and Jessie Bates earned second team honors. pic.twitter.com/ISNdBK7SA8

— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) January 10, 2026

Bijan had a number of big runs called back by holding that could have given him a better shot to break Chris Johnson’s all-time yards from scrimmage mark, but it was a remarkable season regardless. The engine for a Falcons offense that too often sputtered in 2025, very little of the team’s struggles could be laid at the feat of the gifted back, who used incredible balance, his trademark jumps cuts, and a blend of vision, power, and speed to frequently leave defenders on the ground and grasping at air. His 2,298 scrimmage yards were a franchise record, surpassing the great William Andrews’ mark in 1983, and throughout a tough season his production and calm were vital for keeping the Falcons afloat. He couldn’t be more deserving of the award.

What’s really scary with Robinson is that he’ll be just 24 years old in 2026, and his work ethic and production to this point suggest we may not have seen his ceiling. That’s scary for the rest of the NFL, to be clear.

While Bates and Lindstrom had relative down years by their lofty standards, both were still very good and quite deserving, as well. Bates had three interceptions, including a pick-six, to go with 98 tackles, 6 pass deflections, and a forced fumble, while Lindstrom had some terrific stretches in pass protection and was his usual stellar self in terms of run blocking.

Pitts is the surprise, but only because I wasn’t sure he’d be honored. He put together inarguably the most complete season of his career, reeling in 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns and continuing to make strides as a blocker. That included a number of tough catches in traffic and a monster game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that ranks among the finest by a tight end in team history. The only outstanding question for Pitts now is whether he’ll be back in Atlanta in 2026 or not.

Congratulations to all four Falcons, and may they all make their mark again next year in a more successful season for Atlanta.

Source: https://www.thefalcoholic.com/atlan...-team-chris-lindstrom-jessie-bates-kyle-pitts