The Atlanta Falcons finished tied for first place in the NFC South at 8-9, but they spent most of the 2025 season heading nowhere. The consequences came just hours after the team's season finale on Sunday, with the Falcons firing head coach Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.
While the Falcons finished the season on a four-game win streak, they missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season and failed to post a winning record despite playing in a weak NFC South.
Morris hoped the late-season push would be enough to save his job ahead of 2026, and some of the Falcons' stars made it clear they wanted Morris to stay.
Here's what you need to know about the Falcons' decision to fire Morris after only two seasons.
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Why did Falcons fire Raheem Morris?
The Falcons announced Sunday night that they are moving on from their head coach after back-to-back 8-9 seasons.
"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," owner Arthur Blank said in a statement, adding that the results on the field have not met expectations.
While Atlanta's late-season surge after falling out of contention provided some hope for Morris as he tried to keep his job, it also raised legitimate questions about why the team struggled so much when it mattered over the first three months of the season.
The Falcons suffered losses to the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, as well as two to the Carolina Panthers. Atlanta couldn't finish the job in close losses to the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts in back-to-back weeks in November, dooming its playoff chances.
Reports leading up to Sunday indicated Fontenot's status was murky after five seasons without a playoff berth. Many teams prefer to let a new general manager hire his own head coach, and it's possible the Falcons didn't have enough confidence in Morris to deny that opportunity to Fontenot's replacement.
Morris went 16-18 across two seasons as head coach of the Falcons, with Michael Penix Jr. And Kirk Cousins splitting time at quarterback.
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Raheem Morris coaching record
| Season | Team | W | L | Pct. |
| 2009 | Buccaneers | 3 | 13 | .188 |
| 2010 | Buccaneers | 10 | 6 | .625 |
| 2011 | Buccaneers | 4 | 12 | .250 |
| 2024 | Falcons | 8 | 9 | .471 |
| 2025 | Falcons | 8 | 9 | .471 |
| Career | 33 | 49 | .402 |
Morris went 16-18 in two seasons with the Falcons, and he has a career record of 33-49 as a full-time head coach with his only winning season coming in 2010 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Morris also went 4-7 in a stint as the Falcons' interim coach after Dan Quinn's firing in 2020.
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Raheem Morris coaching career
An assistant under Jon Gruden for six seasons in Tampa Bay, Morris was promoted from defensive backs coach to head coach at just 32 years old in 2009. He started his career 0-7 but went 10-6 in his second season, albeit without a playoff appearance.
Morris went 4-12 in his final season with the Buccaneers and rebuilt his reputation in various rules in the years that followed, serving as defensive backs coach under Mike Shanahan and later Jay Gruden in Washington before spending six seasons on Quinn's staff in Atlanta.
After a stint as the Falcons' interim coach, Morris put himself on the path to another head coaching opportunity with a three-year stint as the Los Angeles Rams' defensive coordinator under Sean McVay, a stint that included a Super Bowl win.
How old is Raheem Morris?
Morris turned 49 years old in September. Once one of the youngest head coaches in NFL history when he was hired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009.
Morris worked hard to earn a second head coaching opportunity and hoped his second stint would last longer than the first with more experience under his belt. That isn't the case, as he is out in Atlanta after only two seasons.