The Atlanta Falcons have implemented several changes to their coaching staff and offensive approach following a 30-0 defeat by the Carolina Panthers.
Head coach Raheem Morris announced that offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will move from calling plays in the coaches’ booth to working on the field. Morris cited improved communication as the main reason for this adjustment. “We need to be able to be more efficient, faster,” Morris said. “… Zac has been on the field his whole life. He sees the game just as well on the field as up in the box. … Being on the grass, he provides a different type of energy when he is down there talking to everybody, wideouts, the quarterback, our o-line, our coaches all involved on the headset, but him being around everything will be good for all of us.”
Additionally, wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard was relieved of his duties Monday evening. Pass game coordinator T.J. Yates will take over coaching receivers—a role he previously held with Atlanta during 2022 and 2023. Morris described this decision as “performance-based.” He explained: “We’re going in a different direction,” Morris said. “We’re moving T.J. into that room, doing some things that we need to do in there as far as the detail, all the things we want to get done in there as far as from a bigger scale in terms of our offense and getting better and all those different things. Tough decisions. People business. Hard for me. Hard for the organization. Hard on Ike’s family. But it’s a decision I felt like I needed to make at this time and we did.”
The Falcons’ offense has struggled so far this season; no wide receiver or tight end has scored a touchdown through three games despite strong performances last year from players such as Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Ray-Ray McCloud.
Morris addressed these issues directly: “We have to score touchdowns,” Morris said. “We have to fix our red-zone offense. We have to score when necessary. We have been able to move the ball but we have not been able to finish within our movement of the ball.”
Ray-Ray McCloud commented on Hilliard’s departure after Wednesday’s practice: “It’s always tough losing a coach that you love. But for me, I am going to finish what we started. He was one of the reasons I came here. I played my butt off for him. He was a staple in our room and we are going to hold it down for him,” McCloud said. “It ain’t really nothing to it. Go ball. He’s not catching the ball on Sundays. We still have to do our job.”
Regarding quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who had difficulties during last week’s loss, Morris described it as an isolated event: “Mike’s our quarterback and we have a lot of confidence in Mike,” Morris said. “We’re moving forward because Mike’s the guy.” He added: “We’re not even close to that moment with Mike” — referring to any consideration of changing starters — “Mike had a bad game. We had a bad day as a team… You’re first in line for the wounds… He had a bad game, but he’ll bounce back and I have a lot of confidence he’ll bounce back.”
Morris also responded openly about criticism concerning predictable play calling: “When you play as bad as we played last week, rightfully so,” Morris said. “Throw those things. Throw those stones… We were clearly predictable last week that we could not do anything, so rightful stone throwers… No fights… No nothing against that.”
