ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons fired defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and defensive line coach Jay Rodgers on Saturday following first-year coach Raheem Morris' sharp criticism of his defense's disappointing finish.
The Falcons (8-9) missed the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season following a 44-38 overtime loss to Carolina on Sunday.
“After a thorough evaluation of the season, and with careful consideration for our team’s future, we deemed these moves necessary,” Morris said in a two-paragraph statement released by the team. “These decisions are never easy from the human side of things and we wish Jimmy, Jay and their families the best.”
The Falcons' late-season benching of quarterback Kirk Cousins and three-game audition of rookie Michael Penix Jr. as the new starter entering the 2025 season was the biggest news of the season, but Morris focused on the disappointing late showing by the defense following the loss to the Panthers.
Morris said following the game he was “really shocked” and “really disappointed in our defense.”
The staff changes were not a surprise.
On Monday, when asked about the status of Lake and if he anticipated making changes on the staff, Morris said: "I’ve been around the league for a while and very rarely do things stay the same.”
The Falcons ranked 23rd in the league in total defense and with their average of 24.9 points allowed. The defense ranked last in sacks through nine games, but had a late-season surge. Third-year outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie had six sacks. Outside linebacker Matthew Judon had 5 1/2 sacks and linebacker Kaden Elliss led the team with 150 tackles and added five sacks.
Safety Jessie Bates III also stood out with 102 tackles, four interceptions and four forced fumbles.
Despite the individual highlights and improved pass rush, the defense ranked next-to-last in third-down efficiency and allowed a combined 74 points in back-to-back losses to close the season. Atlanta posted its seventh consecutive losing record.
General manager Terry Fontenot said Thursday the defense, including the pass rush, will continue to be an offseason emphasis.
“We have to add on,” Fontenot said. “So we showed ability, we showed improvement in that area. But this definitely needs to be an area that we continue to improve.”
Following the season-ending loss to Carolina, Morris said his disappointment was so strong because “I was really fired up where we were going, the direction we were going.”
Morris said the defense and the team took “a huge step back” in the loss.
“That’s something we’ve got to go back and look at and review and find out why because those things can’t happen,” he said.
Lake was 7-6 as the University of Washington coach in 2020-21 before serving as the Los Angeles Rams' assistant head coach in 2023.
A potential candidate to lead the Atlanta defense is New York Jets interim coach and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who has said he will interview for the Jets' full-time job. Ulbrich was an Atlanta assistant from 2015-20.
Ulbrich was 3-9 as interim coach after the Jets fired coach Robert Saleh, who also could be a candidate to lead Atlanta's defense. Saleh has interviewed to be San Francisco de'sfensive coordinator.
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Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris talks to reporters after an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Landover, Md. The Commanders won in overtime 30-24. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
