Following the Atlanta Falcons' fourth straight loss, it saw questions about offensive coordinator Zac Robinson's future in Atlanta only grow louder. The 31-25 loss overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts saw Michael Penix Jr. take a massive step backwards after a strong showing in New England in Week 9, and play-calling did him no favors.
Penix completed less than 50% of his passes while Robinson's group struggled to keep pace with the Colts' offense in clutch time. And it's becoming clear that in order for Penix and this exciting, young supporting cast to exceed expectations, the dismissal of the second-year coordinator is imperative.
Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts have too much talent to be this grossly mismanaged on a team that certainly has a playoff caliber roster. While Raheem Morris has doubled down in his faith in the 39-year-old, here are four viable candidates he should consider if he changes his tune.
4 outside-the-box OC candidates Falcons must consider to replace Zac Robinson
Brian Daboll, New York Giants (formerly)
If the Dirty Birds are looking for a true quarterback guru, look no further. Daboll's track record as a head coach is less than stellar, but there's no denying he's a fantastic offensive mind. Penix needs a play-caller who can cater the offense to his strengths, and the recently-fired coach can do just that.
He was the mastermind behind the development of Josh Allen during his time in Buffalo, and he blossomed into the reigning NFL MVP. Moreover, he had Jaxson Dart looking like an Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite before the Giants fired him because of the many leads he squandered in 2025.
Morris is also terrible with clock management and sustaining leads, but luckily, the 50-year-old's sole job in Atlanta would be developing Penix and maximizing this offense's potential. And if his work with Dart, Allen, and experience with Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa are any indictation, he could be just what Penix needs to turn a corner.
Josh McCown, Minnesota Vikings
The 16-year NFL veteran has enjoyed a meteoric rise in coaching circles as of late, as he has put his wealth of professional experience to good use. After a rough stint coaching quarterbacks in Carolina, McCown has spent the last two seasons coaching the quarterbacks for Kevin O'Connell's Minnesota Vikings.
In 2024, McCown worked with two of the the biggest breakout quarterbacks in 2025 in Sam Darnold Daniel Jones. And right now, his impressive work and strong rapport with rookie J.J. McCarthy has seen the 2024 first-round pick burst onto the scene across the last few weeks.
The ex-national champion has all of the pieces in place to be a star in Minnesota, so it's not unreasonable to think that McCown can do more of the same with Penix in Atlanta. Something worth noting is that he has no play-calling experience, but his NFL experience more than makes up for that.
Davis Webb, Denver Broncos
Continuing the trend of former NFL quarterbacks is Davis Webb. The former third-round pick of the Giants currently serves as the quarterback's coach and passing game coordinator in Denver and has played a pivotal role in helping Sean Payton mold Bo Nix into the Broncos' unquestioned quarterback of the future
Yes, Nix isn't the most consistent, but he's on pace to lead Denver to a second consecutive playoff appearance, while the Falcons' own playoff drought is ongoing. There's nobody better for Michael Penix Jr. to learn from than someone who isn't far removed from what he's currently experiencing.
The 30-year-old has become one of the brightest young coaches in league circles, and that was evidenced by the fact he was hired for a premier position immediately upon retiring. His play-calling experience is minimal, but he fared well when he did so in the preseason, so he's worth a shot.
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
Mike McDaniel hasn't been fired yet, but still feels like only a matter of time. After leading the NFL in passing yards just two seasons ago, Tua Tagoviloa has been an absolute disaster for the Dolphins. Despite their influx of talent, the 3-7 Dolphins boast one of the worst offenses in all of football.
McDaniel has almost certainly lost Miami's locker room, but that shouldn't scare people off from his OC credentials. He is familiar with the organization from his team serving as an offensive assistant for Kyle Shanahan, as he did a stellar job calling plays for his offense in San Francisco.
Moreover, he has experienced with left-handed quarterbacks because of Tua, and his pro-style offense could maximize the potential of all of the high-level talent within Atlanta's offense.
But if none of these come to fruition, promoting Dwayne Ledford makes the most sense.