The Atlanta Falcons are coming off one of their worst losses in years. Losing 30-0 to NFC South rival Carolina Panthers — even after just three games — has cast doubt on the 2025 season and put a spotlight on coaching decisions, specifically on head coach Raheem Morris.
One of those decisions by Morris is who will start at quarterback in Week 4 against the Washington Commanders. Speaking with the media on September 24, Morris made it clear who his starter will be going forward.
“Kirk lost his job last year. We’re not even close to that with Mike [Penix],” Morris said. “He had a bad day. We had a bad day. Mike is our quarterback. We got a lot of confidence in Mike. We’re moving forward with Mike. Mike’s the guy.”
Michael Penix Jr. is coming off the worst performance of his young career, completing 18 of 36 passes for 172 yards with two interceptions — one returned for a touchdown. His QBR was an abysmal 12.5.
After Penix’s second interception late in the third quarter, Morris turned to Kirk Cousins to finish the game.
“The game was out of hand,” Morris said. “You move on, keep him out of harm’s way. Keep our guys out of harm’s way. The game’s out of hand; they got us.”
Morris later gave an emphatic “No” when asked if Cousins would be considered to win his job back.
Raheem Morris Makes Drastic Changes to Falcons Offense
The Falcons have not clicked offensively this season despite boasting a roster of talent. Through three games, they are averaging just 21 points per game with only three offensive touchdowns, ranking 31st in the league. They are 30th in red-zone offense, 19th in passing offense and 13th in total offense.
After being shut out against the Panthers, Morris shook up his staff, which included moving on from wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard. Offensive passing game coordinator T.J. Yates has taken over that role.
“The ‘performance-based’ rationale for firing WR coach Ike Hilliard doesn’t make sense,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter posted. “He led [Drake] London, [Ray-Ray] McCloud and [Darnell] Mooney to career years last season. The WR group looked great in training camp. The WR group has not scored a TD this year. London had drops and a fumble. Mooney drops.”
Another move by Morris was shifting offensive coordinator Zac Robinson from the coaching box to the sideline.
“Raheem Morris is hoping for better communication now with Zac Robinson on the Falcons sideline,” Fox 5 Atlanta’s Miles Garrett reported.
Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins Competition a Constant Storyline
Despite Morris’ insistence that Penix is his quarterback, questions about Cousins will not go away as long as the Falcons’ offense continues to sputter.
However, it must be taken into account that Penix is making just his seventh career start in Week 4 against the Commanders and is still building his résumé. Some rough performances were expected in his young career. But the offense’s lack of production has become a major concern.
The question now is how bad it has to get before Cousins is reconsidered as the starter.
Raheem Morris Says Kirk Cousins ‘Lost His Job,’ Stands Firm on Michael Penix Jr. as Falcons Starter