Raheem Morris did a lot of wrong this season to the point where he gave Arthur Blank no choice but to fire him, but the the problems at QB aren't what got him fired. His biggest mistake this season will always be his brutal mismanagement of the wide receiver room after firing WR's coach Ike Hilliard.
Hilliard was fired after the Falcons' blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 3, which saw passing game coordinator TJ Yates assume his duties. That decision turned out to be a nightmare, as Drake London was the only wideout on the roster who showed up on a consistent basis this season.
Despite falling just short of 1,000 receiving yards last year, Darnell Mooney enjoyed the worst season of his career in 2025, and injuries didn't help. Also, Ray-Ray McCloud was strangely cut midseason, which forced the Dirty Birds to turn to a rotation of career journeymen and UDFA's behind London.
That meant that Hilliard got the last laugh, especially after Morris was fired, but he just landed another job. The 49-year-old was just named the wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator at the University of California, meaning he will be returning to the college ranks next season.
Join us in welcoming Wide Receivers / Co-Offensive Coordinator @Coach_Ike19 to Bear Territory 👏🐻#GoBears pic.twitter.com/jjbyU5LBcH
— Cal Football (@CalFootball) January 3, 2026
While Raheem Morris just got fired, Ike Hilliard was just hired for another job
For the first time since 2022, Hilliard will be coaching receivers in college, but Cal seems like a good fit. Under first-year head coach Tosh Lupoi, the Golden Bears are entering a rebuilding stage, but they need pieces to build around to ignite the offense for young quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.
Berkley used to be a haven for NFL-caliber receivers, having produced both DeSean Jackson and Keenan Allen, but Cal has yet to produce strong pass-catching talent since. Chad Hansen was the last receiver drafted out of UC Berkley, which is something that Hilliard will certainly hope to change.
The receiver room is undergoing a massive rebuild because both of their two leading receivers are out of college eligibility. Star receiver Jacob DeJesus broke the school record for receptions in a single season, while Hilliard helped the Golden Bears land a big-time transfer in Rutgers' Ian Strong.
Hilliard was unjustly fired for the performance of the receiver room earlier this season, and now, he'll receive the last laugh since Morris opted to protect Zac Robinson's job security over him, which was a terrible decision in itself. While they're both searching for new jobs, Hilliard can enjoy sunny California.