The Atlanta Falcons dismissed head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot on Sunday night, ending their tenures after the team finished 8-9 for the second consecutive season.
The firings came hours after Atlanta defeated the New Orleans Saints 19-17 at home in the season finale. Owner Arthur Blank met with both executives Sunday evening to inform them of the decisions.
Morris had a 16-18 record over two seasons as head coach with no playoff appearances. Fontenot’s five-year tenure as general manager produced a 37-48 overall record, also without a postseason berth.
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“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,” 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.”
Eight straight losing seasons
The Falcons have not reached the playoffs since 2017, marking the second-longest drought in the NFL. The franchise has not posted a winning record in eight consecutive seasons.
Morris, 49, was hired in January 2024 after serving as the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator for three seasons, including their Super Bowl victory. He had previously worked on Atlanta’s staff starting in 2015 and served as interim head coach for the final 11 games of the 2020 season, posting a 4-7 record.
Fontenot, 45, joined the Falcons in 2021 after 17 seasons with the New Orleans Saints, where he most recently served as assistant general manager and vice president of pro personnel. The Falcons job was his first as a general manager.
Players show support
Despite winning their final four games of the season, the Falcons fell short of the playoffs again. Several players, including Drake London, Jessie Bates III, and Bijan Robinson, had publicly supported Morris returning for another season.
“I want Rah back with all my heart,” London said after Sunday’s victory.
The Falcons announced that searches for both positions will begin immediately. ZRG Partners will assist with the head coach search, while Sportsology Group will handle the general manager search. No timeline has been set for either hire, though the team said that both searches will occur simultaneously.