Falcons fire Raheem Morris, Terry Fontenot after 8-9 season in Atlanta

ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot and Head Coach Raheem Morris have been cut from the organization despite a late-season four-game winning streak. The team confirmed Fontenot and Morris were dismissed on Sunday evening following a win over the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons finished 8-9 this season despite the late surge.

Arthur Blanks fires Morris, Fontenot

What they're saying:

Team owner Arthur M. Blank made the official announcement thanking the pair for the years with the organization.

"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. "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. I wish Raheem and Terry the absolute best in their future pursuits".

Raheem Morris

What we know:

The 49-year-old Morris, a veteran coach with a defensive pedigree and a reputation for adaptability, led the Falcons through a turbulent 2025 season that ended with a flurry of questions regarding the team's leadership.

Morris played safety at Hofstra University before transitioning to coaching. He began his professional coaching career in 2002 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a defensive quality control coach, a season that culminated in a victory in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Morris's rapid ascent led him to become one of the youngest head coaches in modern NFL history when the Buccaneers promoted him to the top job in 2009 at the age of 32. His tenure in Tampa Bay (2009–2011) was highlighted by a 10-6 record in 2010, the best turnaround in franchise history at the time.

Following his dismissal from Tampa Bay in 2012, Morris spent three seasons coaching defensive backs in Washington before joining the Falcons in 2015. Over the next six years, he demonstrated a rare versatility, serving as assistant head coach and coaching both wide receivers and defensive backs. In 2020, Morris was named Atlanta’s interim head coach after the firing of Dan Quinn, leading the team to a 4-7 record during his first stint at the helm.

Before returning to Atlanta as the full-time head coach in 2024, Morris served as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. His defensive units were pivotal to the Rams’ success, including their victory in Super Bowl LVI.

Morris returned to Atlanta in January 2024 on a five-year contract. His first two seasons as head coach were marked by consistent 8-9 finishes. Despite the sub-.500 records, the 2025 season saw the Falcons defense set a franchise record with 57 sacks, led by rookie standout James Pearce Jr. As of early 2026, Morris holds a career head coaching record of 33-55 across his stints with the Buccaneers and Falcons, though he has faced consistent criticism for the team's inability to secure a playoff berth.

Terry Fontenot

Big picture view:

Fontenot failed to secure a playoff berth during his half-decade at the helm. Hired in January 2021 as the first Black general manager in Falcons history, Fontenot arrived from the rival New Orleans Saints with a reputation for aggressive talent evaluation. He spent his first years navigating significant salary cap constraints, eventually orchestrating the end of the Matt Ryan era and attempting to stabilize the quarterback position through the signing of veteran Kirk Cousins and the high-profile drafting of Michael Penix Jr. in 2024.

Fontenot’s legacy in Atlanta will likely be defined by his "best player available" draft philosophy, which brought elite offensive weapons like Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson to the roster. His final major move, a bold trade for rookie pass rusher James Pearce Jr. in the 2025 NFL Draft, bore fruit on the field, as Pearce led a defensive unit that set a new franchise record with 57 sacks this past season.

While Fontenot succeeded in the infusion of young talent, that potential rarely translated into standings success. The Falcons never finished above .500 during his tenure, posting a cumulative record of 36–49.

Before joining Atlanta, the 45-year-old Fontenot spent 18 seasons with the Saints, rising from a marketing intern to vice president and assistant general manager of pro personnel. He was a key figure in the front office that built the New Orleans team that won Super Bowl XLIV and dominated the NFC South for much of the 2010s.

What's next:

The franchise will begin immediate concurrent searches for successors to both roles. ZRG Partners has been retained to assist in the search for a new head coach, while Sportsology Group will assist in the search for a new general manager. 

What we don't know:

No timeline has been established for the completion of either search.