Raheem Morris is out in Atlanta. The Falcons have fired their head coach, and general manager Terry Fontenot is gone as well. The franchise is moving fast to install a new president of football who will oversee a full reset. This is a hard turn for a team that spent big on offense and still searched for an identity. It is also the loudest move on the NFL carousel today.
What just happened and why it matters
The Falcons dismissed Morris after two seasons in charge. He arrived in 2024 with fresh ideas and a player-first touch. The team never fully found rhythm. Atlanta will now run three searches at once. Head coach. General manager. President of football. That structure signals a different power map at Flowery Branch.
The president of football will lead the build. The head coach and GM will report into that office.
This is about alignment, not a single lost Sunday. Atlanta invested premium picks and money in its offense. The return was uneven. The defense flashed but lacked finish. The late game execution did not improve enough. The franchise wants a clear plan and a single voice to set it.
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Why now, and what it says about the Falcons
Timing is everything in the NFL. January brings interviews, the Senior Bowl, and free agency prep. The draft board starts to lock soon. Atlanta could not wait. The club needs a leader who sets vision before the combine. The new structure should prevent split decisions on quarterbacks, scheme, and roster fits.
Look at the roster. The skill core is blue chip. Bijan Robinson is a star in space. Drake London wins at the catch point. Kyle Pitts stresses every coverage. The next coach must unlock them together, not in pieces. That means clean quarterback decisions, tempo, and a red zone plan that travels.
On defense, the bones are solid. The pass rush needs a finisher. The back seven needs more takeaways. Atlanta wants complementary football. That is not a buzzword. It means offense and defense built to help each other, with special teams as a weapon.
The power shift, explained
A president of football changes the air in the room. Think big picture. Strategy. Culture. Cap and analytics. Scouting. Coaching fit. One seat to blend those lanes and settle disputes fast. That chair should be part CEO, part team builder, part translator between the owner and the field.
What the next leaders must bring
- A clear offensive identity that fits the current roster
- A draft plan tied to cap flexibility and two-year windows
- Staff networks that can build strong coordinators and developers
- Calm on game day, urgency all week
Expect the president to land first, with the GM and head coach close behind to sync free agency boards.
The search, the timeline, and the market ripple
Interviews begin immediately. The president hire is the hinge. The target window is before the Senior Bowl so the new voice can direct meetings in Mobile. The GM and head coach could follow within days, not weeks. The order can flip if a top coaching target moves fast, but the goal is alignment.
This move shakes the wider market. Multiple teams are chasing coaches and executives. Atlanta’s jobs are attractive. The roster has stars. The division is open most years. The stadium and facilities are first class. The owner wants to win now, but he also funds long builds. That balance matters to top candidates.
Expect Atlanta to explore experienced team builders for president, plus younger executives with modern cap and analytics chops. For head coach, offense will get heavy attention, given the talent on hand. A defensive coach is not off the board, but only with a strong plan for the offensive staff and quarterback development.
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What this means inside the locker room
Players notice when a team gets decisive. They want clarity. Who is calling plays. What is the standard. How do we practice and finish. The next staff must earn trust fast. Communication will matter as much as scheme. Veterans will buy in if they see a plan that uses their strengths.
One more truth. Atlanta’s window is not closed. The core is young. The cap can be shaped. The draft still offers impact. The right hires can turn the Falcons into a clean, physical, explosive group by September.
Conclusion
Atlanta did not tweak today, it reset. Raheem Morris is out. Terry Fontenot is out. A president of football is in. The Falcons want one vision from the front office to the huddle. The clock is already ticking. The next three hires will define the franchise for years, and they will reshape this coaching cycle in real time.
