The Atlanta Falcons are amid a seven-year playoff drought, and if Week 3 is any indication, that streak won't be ending in 2025. The Falcons are fresh off of a demoralizing 30-0 defeat at the hands of the Carolina Panthers, and the team is sitting at 1-2 entering a Week 4 clash with the Washington Commanders.
Head coach Raheem Morris was visibly displeased with the outcome when addressing the media on Monday, and it's obvious he and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson find themselves on the hot seat following the Week 3 loss. That's why it was no surprise for fans to learn that Robinson will now be calling plays from the sideline—but the offensive shakeup didn't end there.
It was reported that the Dirty Birds had fired wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard, while passing game coordinator TJ Yates would take over duties for the rest of the season. Atlanta's wideouts were grossly underperforming to start 2025, and the urgency—and the clear message being sent by Arthur Blank and Terry Fontenot—speaks volumes.
The Atlanta Falcons have fired wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard. TJ Yates will move back into that role for the rest of the season.
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) September 22, 2025
The Falcons are finally switching things up on offense
Zac Robinson's offense ranks 13th in the NFL, but the Falcons' 14.0 points per game rank second to last in football—only ahead of the somehow 0-3 Houston Texans. The defense has continued to be stupendous, but the explosive unit fans expected has yet to come to fruition.
Much of the offensive struggles can be traced to Michael Penix Jr., who dazzled in Week 1 but has since struggled to maintain consistency. Even in a matchup with the league's worst defense from 2024, the former first-round pick threw two interceptions—including a pick-six—and was benched for Kirk Cousins in the fourth quarter.
That's a far cry from the lofty expectations fans had when the team selected the former Washington standout with the No. 8 overall pick back in 2024, but the flashes have been there. Sunday was just Penix's sixth career start, but was a massive step in the wrong direction.
Atlanta's offense has let a lot to be desired, but not for Bijan Robinson. The budding superstar out of Texas has remained one of the best running backs in football for a Falcons offense in desperate need of a spark.
While Drake London and Darnell Mooney's connections with Penix have looked shaky, it's Robinson and Kyle Pitts who have emerged as the go-to options in the passing game—but this change figures to get the struggling receiver room back on track.
No #Falcons wide receivers or tight ends have caught a touchdown pass yet this season.
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 21, 2025
Accountability starts at the top, and it's clear Morris and Fontenot are ready to rebound from this dismal performance and make the necessary moves in order to salvage this season—and hopefully their futures in Atlanta.