At 3-7, with Michael Penix Jr. out for the season and possibly headed for a third reconstructive surgery on one of his ACLs, it’s time for the Falcons to take a hard look in the mirror and make what should be a pretty easy choice.
The Raheem Morris era in Atlanta needs to end after just two seasons. He has shown no redeeming qualities as a head coach. His in-game management is piss poor. His initial coordinator hires were abject failures, and the Falcons have failed to even show up on multiple occasions. Atlanta is staring at another top-10 pick — one they don’t even own — after pouring significant resources into the roster, only for the results to be worse than they were under Arthur Smith with Desmond Ridder and Marcus Mariota at quarterback.
Terry Fontenot must go as well. A revitalized pass rush has been one of the lone bright spots of the season. He helped fix what’s been the Falcons’ longest-standing issue over the last two decades, but that’s not enough to overlook everything else. Five years, zero winning seasons, zero playoff berths — the resume speaks for itself.
Fontenot’s draft record is average at best. His recent hits are far outweighed by early misses, but most importantly, he had a hand in the two biggest decisions the franchise has made since Matt Ryan was traded: signing Kirk Cousins to a $180 million deal and drafting Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall. You don’t get to wait for your moment, swing twice, miss twice, and keep your job. The NFL is “Not For Long” for a reason.
Which brings us to Michael Penix Jr. If he does need another ACL surgery, it will be his fifth season-ending injury in the last eight years, dating back to college. The odds of him being fully healthy for next season’s opener are slim. The Falcons will once again be in the market for a quarterback, and they shouldn’t just be looking for a backup.
Nothing Penix has shown to this point indicates he’s a franchise quarterback. That doesn’t mean he never will be, but Atlanta can’t waste another season hoping, especially considering his extensive injury history.
It’s time to blow the whole thing up and start from scratch — a topic we dive into on the latest episode of SportsTalkATL. Check it out on our YouTube channel, and make sure to like and subscribe!
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon
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