Lead: The Atlanta Falcons dismissed head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot following a meeting with owner and chairman Arthur M. Blank in Atlanta, after the Falcons’ 2025 season concluded at home against the New Orleans Saints earlier today. Morris, who was hired after the 2023 season and previously served as interim head coach in 2020, finishes with a 16-18 record as head coach. Fontenot, hired in 2021, departs after five seasons in which the team went 37-48 overall. The organization said searches for both positions will begin immediately with outside search firms assisting.
Key Takeaways
- The Falcons relieved Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot of their duties after the conclusion of the 2025 season; the announcement came following a meeting with owner Arthur M. Blank in Atlanta.
- Morris led the team to identical 8-9 records in 2024 and 2025 and holds a 16-18 overall record as Atlanta’s head coach, with no playoff appearances.
- Fontenot completed his fifth season as general manager; the Falcons went 37-48 during his tenure and did not reach the playoffs.
- The 2020 interim stint for Morris covered the final 11 games (4-7), which is included in his broader Atlanta coaching history.
- ZRG Partners will assist the Falcons on the head coach search; Sportsology Group will support the general manager search; both searches will run concurrently with no fixed timeline.
Background
Raheem Morris was named the Falcons’ head coach after the 2023 season, returning to Atlanta after serving as interim head coach for the final 11 games of the 2020 season. His two full seasons in charge produced back-to-back 8-9 finishes, leaving the franchise short of postseason play. The Falcons have been attempting to rebuild roster and culture since the mid-2010s and ownership has emphasized accountability for on-field results.
Terry Fontenot joined the organization in 2021 as general manager and led player personnel decisions across five seasons. The team record of 37-48 during his tenure reflects several high-profile roster moves, draft classes and coaching changes that did not translate into playoff berths. Ownership and fans had signaled rising impatience with the pace of progress relative to expectations for the franchise in a competitive NFC South and broader NFL landscape.
Main Event
Ownership convened a meeting in Atlanta tonight, after the Falcons’ final regular-season game versus New Orleans, and informed Morris and Fontenot that they would be relieved of their duties. Arthur M. Blank framed the decision as one focused on results, noting the organization appreciates their service but must move to new leadership. The team said the changes were effective immediately and that support firms will be engaged to expedite searches.
On the field, the Falcons finished the 2025 campaign 8-9, matching the prior season’s record and failing to qualify for the playoffs. Those back-to-back sub-.500 seasons under Morris were a principal factor in the organization’s decision, according to the team statement. Fontenot’s roster construction and draft record—while including notable additions—did not deliver postseason appearances across his five years.
The Falcons emphasized that both searches will proceed concurrently and that outside firms will assist to broaden the candidate pool. No interim appointments were announced in the immediate statement, and the timeline for naming successors was left open while the team engages ZRG Partners for coaching candidates and Sportsology Group for executive candidates.
Analysis & Implications
The move signals a reset in Atlanta’s leadership and an expectation from ownership for quicker, measurable progress. Replacing both head coach and general manager at the same time allows a new architectural pairing to build a front office and coaching staff aligned on roster strategy, draft philosophy and short- to medium-term win objectives. That approach can accelerate cultural change but also raises short-term instability risks during a search window.
From a roster and salary-cap perspective, incoming leadership will inherit draft capital, contract situations and a coaching staff in need of review. The speed and direction of those decisions will determine whether the Falcons pivot toward a rebuild, retooling, or an accelerated win-now strategy. Free agency and draft cycles in the coming months will magnify the impact of the hires chosen for each role.
Externally, the hires will affect the NFC South landscape. A high-profile coach or GM pick could shift divisional dynamics and influence rival teams’ plans. For fans and stakeholders, the simultaneous searches increase scrutiny on Blank and the ownership group’s decision-making criteria, including the balance between immediate competitiveness and long-term roster construction.
Comparison & Data
| Period | Record | Playoff Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| Morris as HC (2024–2025) | 8-9, 8-9 | 0 |
| Morris overall as HC (incl. 2020 interim) | 16-18 | 0 |
| Fontenot tenure (2021–2025) | 37-48 | 0 |
The above table places the most recent two seasons and Fontenot’s five-year span in direct view. The numbers underline the primary performance justification offered by ownership: comparable records across consecutive seasons and an absence of playoff qualification.
Reactions & Quotes
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.
Arthur M. Blank, Falcons owner and chairman (official team 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.
Atlanta Falcons official announcement
Independent analysts noted that simultaneous vacancies at head coach and general manager create both opportunity and risk: a matched hire can align strategy, but delays in hiring or poor fits could set the franchise back multiple seasons. Fan reaction on social platforms showed a mix of support for change and concern about the timeline and candidate pool.
Unconfirmed
- No official timeline has been released for naming interim or permanent replacements beyond the note that searches will begin immediately.
- Potential candidate names and internal favorites for either role have not been confirmed by the organization.
- Any additional front-office or coaching-staff changes tied to the dismissals have not been publicly detailed.
Bottom Line
The Falcons’ decision to part ways with Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot marks a clear organizational pivot driven by results: two straight 8-9 seasons and no playoff appearances under the current leadership. Ownership has engaged external search firms and pledged concurrent searches for both positions, signaling a willingness to cast a wide net for experienced candidates.
How Atlanta approaches candidate selection will shape the team’s trajectory over the next several seasons. A cohesive coach-GM pairing could accelerate progress, but the club faces a competitive NFC and a narrow window to convert roster moves into wins. Fans and stakeholders should expect a deliberate search process with significant attention on draft and free-agency decisions once hires are made.
Sources
- Atlanta Falcons official team statement (Official team announcement)