It seems evident to Atlanta Falcons fans that this should be the final season of general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris. So often, the Falcons are obviously outcoached and typically outplayed at the quarterback position. For Fontenot, this is harder to stomach with the decision-maker being present for the jettisoning of franchise quarterback Matt Ryan and the installation of Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, and Kirk Cousins. While we are yet to see what Michael Penix Jr. is fully capable of, we are undeniably off to a bad start.
Penix has yet to play a full season's worth of games and is already missing extended time with a knee injury. All of this paints a rather bleak picture that appears to have Morris on track to become an offseason firing.
With that said, Atlanta's win against the New Orleans Saints with Kirk Cousins' improved play opened the door for Morris to save his job if the Falcons can pull off the improbable. This is a franchise that hasn't had a winning season since 2017, which carries an obvious amount of weight, and leaves the incredibly low bar of simply finishing 2025 with a winning record.
If Morris and the Falcons can win five of the final six games to finish above .500, the 49-year-old HC might get another chance to lead the team.
Raheem Morris Needs an Above-.500 Finish to Save His Falcons Job
Looking at the Falcons' schedule, it isn't impossible, but it remains extremely improbable with the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, and Saints finishing out the Falcons' schedule. Morris winning three of these games seems achievable, with two wins required against the Bucs, Seahawks, and Rams, painting an understandably bleak picture.
On the flip side, Tankathon lists the Falcons as having the 10th-easiest remaining schedule, with their final six opponents averaging a 45.5% win rate.
With that said, this is the corner that Morris has coached himself into losing winnable games in overtime against the Colts and Panthers with key coaching mistakes. Morris has yet to establish a clear offensive identity for this team and continues to make mistakes managing the clock. All of this makes it clear that his role is very much in jeopardy, and the Falcons should make a change if they don't finish out the season red hot.
Finishing below .500 for the eighth consecutive season isn't going to cut it for a Falcons team that continues to sell its fan base on its future and do nothing but underachieve. It is obviously far easier to blame the coach than the players, and it leaves the Falcons a clear path to firing Morris and entering a bit of a reset with the future of both of their quarterbacks up in the air.
No question, Morris should feel the pressure in the final weeks of the season, understanding that he is coaching for his job and must defy his past lack of high level coaching and find a way to finish the season hot. Otherwise, it is time for Atlanta to attempt to find a franchise leader who can help put nearly a decade of losing behind them.