The question isn't if the Atlanta Falcons will make serious coaching changes, but when those changes are coming. There has been chatter throughout the season that they could pull off a midseason stunner by firing Raheem Morris, but NFL Insider Ian Rapoport confirmed Arthur Blank will wait until the offseason to evaluate the front office.
Entering a Thursday night divisional clash with the Buccaneers, the Falcons are sitting at 4-9 after losing seven of their last eight. It feels like only a matter of time before Morris and the coaching staff are fired, especially considering the coaching staff is starting to lose the support of the locker room.
The Dirty Birds have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL this season, and this final month of the season will likely end how fans expect. However, nothing is guaranteed, especially if Morris' group is able to play spoiler against a Bucs team vying for another NFC South title tonight.
Ian Rapoport says Arthur Blank will evaluate everything this offseason
The bright side of Rapoport's report is it confirms that changes are most likely coming to Atlanta. But the bad news is that it's no guarantee Morris and Terry Fontenot are fired, especially considering Blank has never fired a head coach before the end of their third season in his time as owner.
Unfortunately, the 83-year-old is known to be patient with his front offices. It took three consecutive 7-10 seasons for Arthur Smith to be fired, and Fontenot has led the team to five consecutive losing seasons and he still has yet to be canned. And fans are starting to get fed up with the complacency.
This entire Falcons' season has been a story of dysfunction, and Morris is the clear root of the issue. The only noteworthy change the 49-year-old has made all season has been firing WR's coach Ike Hilliard, and that was the same decision that led to such ineptitude in managing the receiver room.
The Falcons entered this season with legitimate playoff expectations, but coaching is the main reason this team is falling short. The roster has no shortage of talent, so knowing they are this bad without a first round pick is enough grounds for termination to see Blank completely clean house.
An offense with Bijan Robinson and Drake London should not be struggling this much, and the quarterback controversy with Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins has made things worse. And Rapoport is the latest person to suggest changes are looming so Atlanta can change the narrative.