Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was already at the center of rumors surrounding his future with the franchise, and Sunday's week 4 victory did little to silence the chatter. After Atlanta's Week 3 loss to the Panthers, fans were calling for Robinson's job, but Week 4 saw him rehabilitate his reputation among the fanbase.
Sunday's 34-27 victory over the Washington Commanders was an offensive masterclass and marked Michael Penix Jr.'s best start of his NFL career. The second-year OC's willingness to dial up the big play saw Penix throw for 313 yards and average 12.0 yards per completion on the afternoon. It was a promising victory on all fronts, but Robinson was perhaps the biggest benefactor.
After Oklahoma State—Robinson's alma mater—fired head coach Mike Gundy after 21 seasons at the helm, Robinson was among the candidates linked to the vacancy. The conversation first gained traction after his OSU teammate Dez Bryant first brought up the idea on social media, and Raheem Morris fanned the flames while addressing the media on Monday.
Raheem Morris on Zac Robinson: "I don’t know if he’s been contacted by anybody from Oklahoma State, but we’ve heard the rumors and that’s great for him. You want people to want our people. That’s something that is awesome for him and his family. We embrace those distractions."
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) September 29, 2025
The Falcons might have to prepare for life without Zac Robinson
Something that could sway the boosters is that Robinson played for Gundy. He was a quarterback in Stillwater from 2006-2009, where he started in each of his final three college seasons, leading the team to nine-win seasons in 2008 and 2009 before helping Bryant become a first-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
The New England Patriots selected him in the seventh-round of the 2010 Draft, and had short stints in Seattle, Detroit, and Cincinnati before his professional career came to an end. He then joined Sean McVay's coaching staff with the Rams in 2019, and served as the assistant quarterbacks coach during the team's Super Bowl run in 2021.
Since then, he's become one of the hottest young names in coaching circles, which led to him following Morris to Atlanta in hopes of bolstering an already-bright résumé. Through four weeks, the Falcons rank seventh in the NFL in total offense—so it looks like that gamble has paid off.
His time with the Dirty Birds has been his first taste of play-calling experience, and it's come with growing pains. However, Penix has looked incredibly promising through seven starts–and a lot of that can be attributed to his development of the second-year quarterback.
The offense has been inconsistent at points, especially in the run game, but Week 4 was the first signal that the unit is turning a corner. All three of the team's first-round playmakers found the end zone, and the Washington product is being set up for success from all angles.
For Oklahoma State, that track record—especially from an alumnus— might be too good to pass up. Originally, the expectation was that Jeff Ulbrich would be the coordinator to watch for coaching opportunities, but the clock could already be ticking on Robinson's time in Atlanta as well.