The Atlanta Falcons have cleaned house following another season that saw the club fall well short of expectations. Not only are head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot out of the picture, but owner Arthur Blank is pushing Rich McKay out of football operations with legendary quarterback Matt Ryan poised to take over.
It’s a fresh look that this organization desperately needed, providing an opportunity for a clean slate from top to bottom. That only adds to the appeal of this head-coaching vacancy this offseason. Let’s dive into our top Falcons coaching candidates.
Kevin Stefanski, Former Cleveland Browns Head Coach
The Cleveland Browns just fired Kevin Stefanski, so owner Arthur Blank wouldn’t even have to trade for who will be one of the most in-demand options available this offseason. Stefanski, a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, is coming off consecutive seasons with at least 12 losses. However, he’s well-regarded around the league for his great offensive mind and many believe he’ll immediately get a second chance to be a head coach.
If the Falcons keep Kirk Cousins in 2026, there could be even more incentive to hire Stefanski. The two worked together in Minnesota and maintain a strong relationship to this day. More importantly, Stefanski could build Atlanta’s offense around Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. He’s the caliber of play-caller who can maximize his star players and get the most out of his starting quarterback if they’re willing to play within his system. Fans might view this as a retread hire, but Stefanski is landing another head-coaching job and the opportunity to work with Atlanta’s skill players in a winnable division makes this an enticing landing spot.
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator
The Atlanta Falcons defense delivered one of the biggest one-year turnarounds in the NFL this past season. That could lead to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich sticking around for another year, depending on if the next Falcons head coach wants to keep him. However, we think Atlanta should give strong consideration to a defensive-minded head coach.
Since taking over as the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator in 2023, Brian Flores has orchestrated a unit that ranks second in EPA per play (-0.066) and fifth in success rate (42%). Keep in mind that Minnesota had a bottom-10 defense prior to his arrival. As for his previous head-coaching stint in Miami, he outperformed the expectations anyone had of that team in the early stages of a rebuild. Now, Flores’ personality can be a bit abrasive and Atlanta might want to help influence who he’d hire as his next offensive coordinator. With that said, the Falcons defense could become a top-10 unit with him and he might bring the kind of mentality this organization needs.
Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2026, Offseason Evals for Every Defense
Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator
If we’re leading the Falcons coaching search, our top target is Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. As with Brian Flores, he took over a defense that ranked bottom-10 in nearly every major statistic before his arrival. In his first two seasons with Minter at the helm, the Chargers defense ranks sixth in EPA per play (-0.065) and success rate (41.9%).
What really stands out with Minter’s success is how he’s done it. Tuli Tuipulotu, Daiyan Henley and Donte Jackson were relative unknowns. Odafe Oweh had been completely unproductive this season in Baltimore. He took all of that and made it into one of the league’s best defenses in 2025. Plus, he’s spent nearly a decade learning from either Jim or John Harbaugh. Minter can maximize Atlanta’s defense and he’s the type of young coach who, if things work out, could be in Atlanta for the next decade-plus.
Read More: 2026 NFL Draft Order, Atlanta Falcons Draft Picks 2026
Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator
One option that will likely be under consideration is finding a first-time coach who would be willing to keep Ulbrich as defensive coordinator. That adds Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to our list of top Falcons coaching candidates.
What’s impressive regarding Kubiak is that he’s found multiple ways to make his offense work this season. In the first half of the season, when Sam Darnold played well, Seattle averaged 246.1 passing yards per game, 9.5 yards per attempt and a 112.6 QB rating. Then, Darnold started to tail off and Seattle needed its ground game to save it. So, Kubiak took the pairing of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet and produced an offense that averaged 140.6 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry in the final nine games (8-1 record).
Kubiak has also spent time coaching under Kyle Shanahan and Mike Macdonald, two of the best head coaches in the NFL right now, with stops as an assistant in Denver and New Orleans. That means a lot of relationships across the league that he can tap into for the next Falcons coaching staff, ideally with Ulbrich again serving as defensive coordinator.
Read More: NFL Cap Space By Team 2026, Atlanta Falcons Cap Space 2026
