Report: Buzz circling around Falcons GM Terry Fontenot’s future in Atlanta

While the Falcons aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs yet, their season is essentially over because they’ll need the Saints, who are two-touchdown underdogs, to upset the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay.

The Falcons’ season ended in Washington on Sunday Night Football when Raheem Morris decided not to use a timeout while Michael Penix Jr. was leading what should’ve been a game-winning drive. Of course, there were hundreds of other factors that went into a season that can only be seen as a failure, but the last thing Falcons fans will have on their minds this offseason is Morris hoarding timeouts.

However angry fans are about how this season has unfolded, whether it be the Kirk Cousins experiment or Morris’ inability to win an incredibly weak NFC South, there will likely be no changes to the structure in Atlanta.

One-and-done’s are rare in the NFL, and they are even more rare for a head coach who will likely finish with a winning record. Regardless of what fans think, Raheem Morris will be back in Atlanta next year. The same cannot be said for Terry Fontenot, though.

The Falcons GM has not seen the postseason since taking over in 2021. That’s four seasons without reaching the playoffs, but that’s not going to be the reason he is potentially relieved of his duties this offseason. It’s the abomination that is Kirk Cousins’ contract, which has created buzz around the league about the future of Fontenot, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

Even if Fontenot hasn’t done enough to deserve a fifth offseason, he will likely get it because if Blank were unsatisfied with his GM’s work, Fontenot would’ve been fired when the Falcons fired Arthur Smith. Of course, those murmurs around the league might entice Blank to ponder a move like firing Fontenot because the Falcons owner is susceptible to making decisions based on others’ opinions.

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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire