The Atlanta Falcons were eliminated from postseason contention Sunday evening after a 37-9 home loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, dropping their record to 4-9 and ending the team’s season for the eighth consecutive year.
The loss was the Falcons’ eighth in a row and their ninth defeat in the last 10 games. It comes three weeks after Atlanta sat at 3-2 and appeared to have turned a corner on the schedule.
“I have to take a hard look in the mirror. We were 3-2, and now we’re going home. There is no way to spin this.”
— Raheem Morris, Falcons head coach, after the game
What happened Sunday
The Falcons trailed 27-3 at halftime at home and never seriously threatened a comeback. Geno Smith threw for four touchdowns for the Seahawks, who improved to 10-3 and took a commanding lead in the NFC West.
The Falcons’ offense, meanwhile, finished with just 217 total yards, 13 first downs, and 0-for-10 on third down at home — its worst third-down performance of the season.
Where the season went
The Falcons opened the year 3-2, with one-score losses to Tampa Bay and Carolina raising hopes that the team had finally found the offensive identity it had been missing since the Matt Ryan era ended in 2022.
Those hopes lasted until late October, when a three-game losing streak — capped by an overtime loss at Miami — began a stretch in which Atlanta won just one of its next nine games.
What the firing of Raheem Morris would mean
Morris is now 16-18 in two seasons as Falcons head coach and 33-49 as a full-time head coach in his NFL career. His only winning season came in 2020, when he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth.
Multiple reports Sunday night indicated the Falcons are not expected to retain Morris beyond this season. General manager Terry Fontenot, who is also in the final year of his contract, may also be on the way out.
“All of that will be evaluated after the season. I’m not going to get into individual personnel decisions from the sideline.”
— Arthur Blank, Falcons owner, in a postgame radio interview
What’s next
The Falcons finish the season with games against the Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, and New Orleans Saints. None of the three games will affect Atlanta’s playoff position, but all three will be played under a microscope as the team’s leadership evaluates the roster for 2026.
The Falcons’ offseason priorities are well-established: identify a new head coach and general manager, decide what to do with Kirk Cousins, and figure out how to get the most out of Bijan Robinson, the third-year running back who remains the team’s most dynamic offensive player.
Jordan Reyes covers the Falcons, Hawks, Braves, and Atlanta United for WACN 21. Reach him at jreyes@wacn21.com.
