Arthur Blank addresses Falcons shakeup; Matt Ryan a possible candidate: 'He’s an outstanding individual'
Arthur Blank talks about the future of the Falcons
Arthur Blanks held a press conference on Thursday morning to talk about the future of the Atlanta Falcons after a shakeup at the top.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Thursday that "good is the enemy of great" as he began a sweeping search for a new head coach, general manager and a newly created president of football to overhaul a franchise he believes is underperforming.
Speaking for the first time since firing head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot on Sunday, Blank revealed the team is already interviewing candidates for the new president role. Former Falcons quarterback and MVP Matt Ryan is among those being considered.
The move marks a significant shift in the team’s power structure. Blank said the new president will oversee all "football on grass" matters, with the future head coach and general manager reporting directly to that position.
Atlanta Drive GC and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank celebrates with former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan after the Atlanta Drive GC defeated Los Angeles Golf Club, 6-5 in overtime, during their TGL presented by SoFi match at SoFi Center on Februa
"We wanted to add somebody who's the president of football," Blank said during a press conference at the Arthur M. Blank Family Office. "It’s not football operations... this person who we're trying to hire will be responsible for everything that relates to a football and grass."
Blank's ‘phased’ decision
What we know:
The dismissal of Morris after just two seasons and Fontenot after five came despite the Falcons finishing the season on a four-game winning streak. Blank characterized the decision as a "phased process over time" rather than a knee-tap reaction to the season's end.
"I just concluded that I didn't think that those two gentlemen... were providing the kind of leadership at the level to get us to the next level," Blank said. "It was my conclusion as the season went on that we could not achieve or [were] not achieving at the level that I thought this roster was capable of performing at."
Blank cited a report from the consulting firm Sportsology, which he retained months ago to audit the organization. The findings, he said, showed a "lack of clarity about the vision for the team" and areas where communication and accountability needed to be tightened.
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Who will be the Falcons' next president?
What's next:
Blank indicated that hiring the president of football is the immediate priority. That individual will then lead the search for the next head coach and general manager.
When asked about potential coaching candidates like John Harbaugh, Blank called him "one of the most successful coaches in the last 20 years," adding, "He would certainly be a candidate we would want to spend some time with."
Regarding Matt Ryan’s candidacy for the executive role, Blank dismissed concerns about Ryan's lack of front-office experience.
"His EQ and IQ when it comes to football is extraordinarily high," Blank said. "He’s an outstanding individual... [the] kind of person you'd certainly would want to consider in that position."
WATCH FULL PRESS CONFERENCE BELOW
Falcons address leadership changes in post-shakeup briefing
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur M. Blank is speaking publicly following major organizational changes within the franchise. The news conference comes after a series of front-office and leadership shakeups as the team looks ahead to the 2026 season. Blank is addressing questions about the direction of the organization, expectations moving forward, and the search for new leadership roles. We are listening in as he outlines the team’s vision and responds to concerns from fans and media.
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Penix's future
What they're saying:
Despite the impending leadership changes, Blank was firm about the team’s direction at quarterback. He confirmed the organization still views Michael Penix Jr. as the "franchise quarterback" moving forward, despite a major knee injury that ended his season.
"The surgeon felt 1,000% secure in the medical procedure they went through," Blank said. "I do think Michael is a franchise quarterback."
Blank also noted that while he would recommend a new coach retain defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, he would not mandate it.
"I view myself as a custodian of the franchise for the fans," Blank said. "As they felt pain and anguish and frustration during the year, I felt pain, and frustration, and anger during the years myself... we're 100% committed to bring this back to the level that you would expect us to be at."