Sportsnaut
The Atlanta Falcons have cleaned house following another season that saw the club fall well short of expectations. Not only are head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot out of the picture, but owner Arthur Blank is pushing Rich McKay out of football operations with legendary quarterback Matt Ryan poised to take over.
It’s a fresh look that this organization desperately needed, providing an opportunity for a clean slate from top to bottom. That only adds to the appeal of this head-coaching vacancy this offseason. Let’s dive into our top Falcons coaching candidates.
The Cleveland Browns just fired Kevin Stefanski, so owner Arthur Blank wouldn’t even have to trade for who will be one of the most in-demand options available this offseason. Stefanski, a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, is coming off consecutive seasons with at least 12 losses. However, he’s well-regarded around the league for his great offensive mind and many believe he’ll immediately get a second chance to be a head coach.
If the Falcons keep Kirk Cousins in 2026, there could be even more incentive to hire Stefanski. The two worked together in Minnesota and maintain a strong relationship to this day. More importantly, Stefanski could build Atlanta’s offense around Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. He’s the caliber of play-caller who can maximize his star players and get the most out of his starting quarterback if they’re willing to play within his system. Fans might view this as a retread hire, but Stefanski is landing another head-coaching job and the opportunity to work with Atlanta’s skill players in a winnable division makes this an enticing landing spot.
The Atlanta Falcons defense delivered one of the biggest one-year turnarounds in the NFL this past season. That could lead to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich sticking around for another year, depending on if the next Falcons head coach wants to keep him. However, we think Atlanta should give strong consideration to a defensive-minded head coach.
Since taking over as the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator in 2023, Brian Flores has orchestrated a unit that ranks second in EPA per play (-0.066) and fifth in success rate (42%). Keep in mind that Minnesota had a bottom-10 defense prior to his arrival. As for his previous head-coaching stint in Miami, he outperformed the expectations anyone had of that team in the early stages of a rebuild. Now, Flores’ personality can be a bit abrasive and Atlanta might want to help influence who he’d hire as his next offensive coordinator. With that said, the Falcons defense could become a top-10 unit with him and he might bring the kind of mentality this organization needs.
Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2026, Offseason Evals for Every Defense
If we’re leading the Falcons coaching search, our top target is Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. As with Brian Flores,...
