Andrew Buller-Russ
NFL teams are always making changes. After missing the playoffs for the eighth season in a row, the Atlanta Falcons felt it was time for a new head coach, general manager, and possibly even starting quarterback.
Coach Raheem Morris has been replaced by two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski. General manager Terry Fontenot was replaced by Ian Cunningham, who reports to team president and Falcons legend Matt Ryan. Lastly, the Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa to push and compete with Michael Penix Jr. while the latter recovers from last season’s torn ACL.
More recently, the Falcons completed their 2026 NFL Draft, where Atlanta didn’t have a first-round pick due to last year’s trade up for James Pearce Jr. The Falcons didn’t have a selection until No. 48, when they plucked A.J. Terrell’s younger (and smaller) brother, Avieon Terrell. With the 79th pick, the Falcons selected another undersized athlete in receiver Zachariah Branch.
While both players possess exciting untapped potential, the overall arc of the Falcons has other NFL executives wondering what the team is doing. One anonymous NFL exec who spoke to The Athletic even said, “I don’t know what Atlanta is doing yet. They have talked about raising the floor, but wouldn’t you rather bottom out or raise the ceiling?”
Many would argue that the Falcons have raised the ceiling by bringing in a proven head coach plus a Pro Bowl QB. Yet, whether it all comes together in 2026 remains to be seen. Clearly, some feel like the Falcons would have been better off punting on the season altogether, but that’s not an avenue we often see in the NFL, especially for a team owned by Arthur Blank, who wants to win, and win now.
Related: 2026 NFL Power Rankings: Evaluating Worst, Best Teams After NFL Draft
