While the Atlanta Falcons are busy gutting their entire coaching staff amid a massive organizational restructure, some teams are only looking for minor coaching changes. A coordinator, maybe some big assistants, but the Falcons are the only team currently searching for a head coach and a GM.
That means that several key Atlanta assistants could be on the chopping block, and OC Zac Robinson is among the most notable of them. He's already had some big interviews, but his biggest will come later today, as he flew to Detroit to interview for the Lions' vacancy at offensive coordinator.
Former #Falcons OC Zac Robinson is flying to Detroit to interview for the vacant #Lions OC job on Thursday, sources say. Robinson, a strong candidate with the #Bucs, has a successful history with Jared Goff from their time in LA. pic.twitter.com/1SwESWgsFH
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 15, 2026
Even though things didn't go according to plan for the 39-year-old in Atlanta, Robinson is one of the most coveted OC candidates this offseason. The Lions are looking to take a big swing to replace John Morton, so this is oddly conservative for a team with an OC vacancy more attractive than some head coaching jobs.
Zac Robinson would make the Falcons regret letting him walk if he becomes the next OC of the Lions
Robinson was relatively inconsistent in his two seasons calling plays for the Falcons, but the Dirty Birds still managed to finish inside the top half of the NFL in total offense in both 2024 and 2025, but that could also be credited to the elite talent he got to work with rather than anything he actually did.
Unfortunately for Robinson, his scheme was a horrible fit for Michael Penix Jr.'s skillset, and his system ran more effectively when Kirk Cousins was the starter. For that reason, there was some talk of him getting fired earlier this season, but Morris refused to do it, which contributed to his own firing.
It's highly unlikely that he returns under a new coaching staff, mainly because of how much the offense struggled in the red zone, but his offense turned a corner down the stretch amid the late four-game winning streak, but frankly, it was too little too late for the former Sean McVay assistant.
Speaking of McVay, his past in Los Angeles has seen Robinson surface as a dark horse candidate in Detroit. He was the assistant QB coach for Lions' starter Jared Goff in 2019, and continued to rise up the ranks after the Rams won the Super Bowl before following Morris when he took the Falcons' job.
Something worth noting is that this was Robinson's first stint as an OC (and as a play-caller), so it was rough but his West Coast scheme would work well with the talent in Detroit, even if it wouldn't hold a candle to what Ben Johnson accomplished with the same personnel.
In a league where coaches are always attempting to find the next McVay, Robinson will eventually land a second opportunity call plays, but I doubt it will be this soon or in a position as coveted as this one.