The Atlanta Falcons are getting ready to wrap up their 2025 season on January 4 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium against the New Orleans Saints. With Atlanta officially out of playoff contention, attention has already begun shifting toward what could be a pivotal 2026 offseason.
That is not where the Falcons expected to be. After finishing 8-9 in 2024, Atlanta hoped for meaningful improvement, yet the team is tracking toward either the same record or one game worse. That reality has placed pressure on several figures inside the organization, including second-year head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.
On December 23, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that Falcons owner Arthur Blank had brought in consulting firm Sportology to conduct a “health check” of the organization. Just days later, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported that former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was in discussions about potentially joining the team in a front-office role.
“They’ve had talks lately. Obviously, nothing’s been done yet,” Glazer said. “People close to Matt Ryan told me he’s seriously considering it. If this happens, it would be a significant front office role for the Falcons.”
Breer has since provided additional clarity on what that role could look like.
Matt Ryan’s Potential Falcons Role Comes Into Focus
In his January 2 column, Breer wrote that the Sportology-led evaluation has gone better than many outside the organization expected. He also suggested Ryan could be brought in under a structure similar to that of Detroit Lions executive Chris Spielman.
“In recent weeks, the consulting firm Sportology, which has helped Blank with his soccer teams, has been brought in to run a top-to-bottom health check on the team’s football operation,” Breer wrote. “My understanding is that it’s actually better than some on the outside might think. And the prospect of Matt Ryan coming aboard in a Chris Spielman–type role could be in play.”
Spielman, a former NFL linebacker, spent 10 seasons in the league before retiring in 1999. Most of his career came with the Lions, where he became a First-Team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler. He joined Detroit’s front office in December 2020 as special assistant to the owner and CEO, a role that has helped shape the franchise’s recent turnaround.
How Matt Ryan Could Impact Falcons’ Future
Even with Atlanta winning three straight games and four of its last six, job security inside the organization remains uncertain. The Falcons have now gone eight consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance, and Fontenot has been in the building for five of them.
Breer noted that if changes were to be made at the top, Ryan’s presence could influence future decisions.
“If there’s a GM change, Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham would be a name to watch, given the close relationship between Ryan and Chicago GM Ryan Poles, who was a lineman for the quarterback at Boston College 20 years ago,” Breer wrote.
Ryan joining the front office would almost certainly trigger a ripple effect throughout the organization. While Morris has steadied the team late in the season, nothing feels guaranteed in Atlanta. A fourth straight win would help soften the sting of another lost year, but it would not change the broader reality — the Falcons are still heading home in January for the eighth straight season.
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