Inconsistency, once again, was the theme of the Atlanta Falcons season. They have struggled to find winning streaks and close out games during their eight-year playoff drought, which is why Arthur Blank is making changes.
We saw great times (wins against the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams), but many more awful times (two season-defining losses to the Panthers and embarrasing performances against the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets).
Through it all, there were many players to be hopeful about moving forward, while many others saw their careers take a turn for the worse.
Winners and losers from another playoff-less Falcons season
Winner: Bijan Robinson
If the Falcons were in the playoffs, Bijan Robinson would be in the MVP race. He was nothing short of special.
He led the league in scrimmage yards to go with 11 touchdowns. He was even robbed of many touchdowns because of Tyler Allgeier's frequent usage inside the five-yard line.
The crazy thing is we still haven't seen the 23-year-old's best.
Loser: The coaching staff
Morris lost his team at critical moments during the season; they didn't know how to handle success and failed to stack wins, particularly after the Bills game. It is the same thing that happened during 2024's mid-season collapse.
There has also been questionable coaching hires and management. He was willing to fire his wide receivers coach after three games, but not his special teams coordinator whose unit blew numerous games.
Which brings us to his subordinates; Zac Robinson failed to produce a consistent offense, while Marquice Williams' unit was responsible for many tragic losses.
Now, they are all out of a job.
Winner: Kyle Pitts Sr.
Kyle Pitts was entering a pivotal point in his career. As an impending free agent, the former No. 4 pick had to have a strong season to turn in a big payday.
He did just that. His late-season stretch, headlined by his 11-catch, 166-yard, three-touchdown performance in Tampa, will earn him a quality contract (most likely via a Falcons franchise tag). For the first time since his rookie season, the Florida product has played to his potential.
Loser: Quarterbacks
There is no denying that Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins did not have the seasons they hoped for.
Penix Jr. didn't have the breakout campaign that many hoped for as he struggled with accuracy before tearing his ACL for a third time.
Meanwhile, Cousins didn't look like the $180-million player the Falcons paid for. He was routinely more worried about not taking a sack than getting the ball down the field, making for a painful passing game.
Winner: 2025 Rookie class
The Falcons had the best 2025 NFL Draft class, no doubt about it. They were unbelievably efficient with their five selections.
James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker were the two best rookie pass rushers, Xavier Watts was the best rookie safety, and Billy Bowman Jr. was playing great before his season-ending injury. The only player who didn't play was seventh-rounder Jack Nelson.
Loser: Darnell Mooney
We have said it dozens of times this year: Darnell Mooney was one of the league's worst starters at any position. Not only did he struggle to get open, but when he did it often resulted in a drop or a fumble.
Now, he likely won't be back after just two seasons in Atlanta.
Winner: Defensive line
The turnaround that the Falcons' defensive line has had has been remarkable. They went from having the worst pass rush over the past decade to breaking their single-season sack record.
They got significant pass-rush production from a host of players—12 players had 2 or more sacks, five had four or more, and two had eight or more. To make things even better, their four leading sack artists are on rookie contracts.
Loser: Oft-injured defenders
The Falcons love the talent that mid-round picks Troy Andersen and Bralen Trice have, but that doesn't matter when they can't stay healthy.
Both guys didn't play a single game in 2025, putting their 2026 status in doubt. Through their combined five seasons, they have played in 26 of the possible 86 games (all by Andersen, 17 of which came as a rookie).
Andersen likely won't return with his contract expiring, while the Dirty Birds hope Trice can play what would essentially be his rookie season in his third season.
Winner: Jeff Ulbrich
For as bad as things were for Jeff Ulbrich in New York, they have been equally good in Atlanta.
There was a vision by the veteran coach that was propped up by a great draft class. He led a resurgent pass rush helped out by many breakout players.
Ulbrich also helped revive the careers of Dee Alford, Mike Ford, C.J. Henderson, Divine Deablo, Ronnie Harrison, and LaCale London. Hopefully, they can bring him back with a new coaching staff.
Loser: Taking advantage of 2025
Everything was setting up perfect for the 2025 Falcons: an easy schedule, a second-year coaching staff, and many talented first or second-year players. They had no excuses not to win the division and make the playoffs.
Those were the pre-season expectations, and incredibly, the post-season perspective makes things look even easier.
They had even more breakout players, especially on defense, than anyone ever could've predicted, their defense was solid, Bijan had a massive year, their schedule was easy, and the NFC South was horrendous. It is hard to believe they couldn't take advantage.