One of the most intriguing storylines of the season for the Atlanta Falcons has been flying under the radar amid the speculation leading up to the NFL schedule release: in Kevin Stefanski's first season as the head coach, the Falcons are set to have a revenge game with former coach Raheem Morris.
After being fired by Atlanta immediately after the 2025 season ended, the 49-year-old quickly landed on his feet with Kyle Shanahan, getting hired as the the San Francisco 49ers' new DC. And wouldn't you know it, the Falcons and 49ers are set to face off for the second time in as many seasons in 2026.
Stefanski's Dirty Birds will host Morris' 49ers in Week 7. The game will kick off on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1:00 p.m. ET, so unlike the last meeting between these two teams, this one won't be on primetime. But that doesn't mean that both sides aren't looking to cement themselves as the winners of the breakup.
The Atlanta Falcons will host Raheem Morris and the 49ers in Week 7
You already the 49-year-old is set to enter this matchup with a chip on his shoulder. In two seasons as the head coach in Atlanta, he went 8-9 in both 2024 and 2025. However, the Falcons lost five one-score games they should've won last season, a stat which ultimately resulted in Morris' termination.
For instance, the Falcons and Niners squared off on Sunday Night Football in Week 7 of 2025, where the 49ers won 20-10 despite Atlanta holding Mac Jones to 152 passing yards. Jeff Ulbrich's defense had no answers for Christian McCaffrey in their last meeting, but Atlanta improved their DL this offseason and look to be less inconsistent.
The 49ers' defense struggled in 2025, but San Francisco brought back Dre Greenlaw and signed Nate Hobbs to bolster their defense. And they'll also get players such as Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, and Fred Warner back from injury, so this won't be a walk in the park for an uber-talented Atlanta offense.
The Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator will have his hands full neutralizing Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and now Zachariah Branch. Luckily, it's a bunch of talent he's familiar working with, but Stefanski's offensive system is one he's less likely to be seasoned in negating.
The other burning question will be about whether Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa starts this game at quarterback. Penix is the signal-caller Morris helped the Falcons draft, so it would be a slap in the face if his defense was diced up by the QB his offensive staff was unable to tap into the potential of.
Either way, every Falcons fan should want to see a win in Week 7 to get some revenge against their former head coach and his new team for the roller coaster of emotions he provided on a weekly basis.
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