The Falcons are already looking ahead to 2026 after another lost season

ATLANTA (AP) — With a month to go in the regular season, the Atlanta Falcons are already looking ahead to 2026.

The Falcons locked up an eighth straight losing campaign and were officially eliminated from the playoff race with their seventh defeat in eight games, a 37-9 beatdown at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Atlanta (4-9) has now matched the franchise record for most consecutive seasons finishing below .500 — quite a feat for a team that has endured plenty of haplessness over its 60-year history.

This latest loss was especially ugly as the Falcons surrendered 31 points in the second half and finished the game in a largely empty stadium that wasn't all that packed for the opening kickoff.

“It’s pretty disappointing,” safety Jessie Bates III said. "We've just got to stay together. We’re still fighting for our jobs, for each other’s families and all that good stuff.”

If nothing else, the Falcons' performance over the final month could determine if Raheem Morris returns for a third year as coach.

Then again, with a 12-18 record during this tenure — and a dismal 33-56 mark over his entire head coaching career — Morris' fate may already be sealed no matter what happens the rest of the way.

Not much.

Bijan Robinson had 86 yards rushing on 20 carries, but even another solid performance from the star running back was marred by a backbreaking fumble deep in Seattle territory when the Falcons were driving for a potential tying touchdown early in the third quarter. After that, the Seahawks dominated.

The special teams are an absolute mess, and the Falcons seem to have little idea how to turn things around.

A 100-yard kickoff return by Rashid Shaheed to start the second half marked the third week in a row that Atlanta has given up a long return, swinging the momentum in the Seahawks' favor after a 6-all tie at the break. The Falcons tried to keep the ball away from Shaheed on their final kickoff, only to have Zane Gonzalez sail it out of bounds for a penalty that gave Seattle the ball at its own 40. The Seahawks quickly drove for a touchdown that pushed the lead to 30-9.

For good measure, Atlanta surrendered a blocked field goal on Gonzalez's 50-yard attempt in the first half.

“We've got to put more people out there, change it up, who’s going, who’s running down, who’s covering, who’s doing all the things that we ask those guys to do," Morris said. "It’s not just one person to point at. It’s just not one thing to point at. You’ve got to go figure it out, look at it on tape and try to come up with answers.”

Edge James Pearce Jr. became the first rookie since Micah Parsons in 2021 to have sacks in five consecutive games.

Tight end Kyle Pitts has stepped up in the passing game, making six catches for a season-high 90 yards on the heels of a seven-reception, 82-yard performance against the New York Jets the previous week. If nothing else, he is bolstering his stock for free agency, with his rookie contract expiring after this season unless he agrees to an extension.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins is squandering any chance to revive his faltering career, completing just 15 of 30 passes for 162 yards with two interceptions off deflected passes. Since taking over as the starter when Michael Penix Jr. went down with a season-ending knee injury, the $180 million man has completed a mediocre 58% for 643 yards in four games, with three TDs and three picks.

A.J. Terrell Jr., who had surrendered only one touchdown catch all season, was beaten twice for scores by Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba. On a 28-yard TD over the middle, the cornerback made a half-hearted swipe at the ball after Smith-Njigba hauled in the pass, a clear indication that the Falcons have lost interest in this lost season.

Drake London, the team's top receiver, missed his third straight game with a knee injury. The Falcons are not a threat at all in the deep passing game when he's on the sideline.

The defense was hurt by the absence of lineman Brandon Dorlus, who sat out with a groin issue. Rookie edge Jalon Walker continued to have problems staying on the field, leaving in the first half with a quad injury.

1-13: The Falcons had another dismal day on third down, converting just once in 13 chances. For the season, Atlanta ranks next-to-last in the NFL with a 31% success rate. That's no way to run an offense.

“You’ve got to find a way to make a play," offensive tackle Jake Matthews said. "I’ll be interested to watch the film and see what those third downs look like and then come up with a plan. Definitely frustrated. We expect a lot more from ourselves.”

A short week will force the Falcons to quickly put their pathetic performance in the rearview mirror. They travel to Tampa Bay for a Thursday night game against their NFC South rivals, who have slipped to 7-6 with five losses in their last seven games.

This is a huge game for the Buccaneers, who now find themselves tied for the division lead with Carolina and facing two games against the Panthers over the final three weeks of the regular season.

As for the Falcons, it's time to start looking ahead to next season.

Again.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon celebrates a fumble recovery against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) avoids tackles from Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) and cornerback Josh Jobe (29) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon looks down at Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins after a tackle during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris looks down on the sideline as his team trails against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

NEW YORK (AP) — The Golden Globes this year introduced a best podcast category and, predictably, the nominees announced Monday will get people talking.

The six nominees for the inaugural best podcast award are “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard,” “Call Her Daddy,” “Good Hang with Amy Poehler,” “The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “SmartLess” and “Up First,” from NPR. Representing a mix of news, advice and celebrity interviews, they were drawn from a shortlist of 25 programs the Globes had previously deemed eligible.

The nominations avoided politics or controversy by passing on popular podcasts from the shortlist, such as conservative-leaning programs “The Megyn Kelly Show,” “The Tucker Carlson Show,” “The Ben Shapiro Show,” Candace Owen’s “Candace” and, most notably, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which topped Spotify, Apple and YouTube's list of weekly podcast charts this year. The left-leaning “Pod Save America” also was snubbed, as were popular true crime podcasts like “Morbid” and “Rotten Mango.”

Ben Bogardus, a professor and chair of the journalism department at Quinnipiac University, said it seemed that the Globes' voting body — after years of scandal for the beleaguered awards show — wanted to avoid any controversy, like inviting a podcast host who might show up and say something contentious.

“They’re trying to bill themselves as an award show that is for the masses and non-controversial, celebrating the best in entertainment. Having this political sideshow, I think they just wanted to avoid that,” he said.

Reaction to the apparent snubbing of politics-related podcasts early Monday was light, with a handful of X users weighing in with criticism that high-ranking programs from personalities like Rogan and “manosphere” podcaster Theo Von had been left off the final cut. There was no direct reaction from the hosts themselves.

Shapiro had launched an all-out Golden Globes publicity campaign for his decade-old podcast, on which he’s spoken with the likes of U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the past year. In addition to making the rounds with industry publications, Shapiro also secured massive billboard space in New York City’s Times Square.

The 25 potential candidates — including The New York Times' “The Daily” and Barstool Sports' “Pardon My Take” — mostly matched up with the most listened-to shows.

“If that’s how you want to pick your ‘best podcast,’ that’s certainly one starting point and one way to do it,” says Karl Hughes, a 20-year podcasting veteran who is CEO of The Podcast Consultant. “I think it leaves a lot of stuff out. It leaves a lot of nuance out.”

Eligible podcasts must have original content and must have released at least six episodes between Jan. 1, 2025, and Sept. 30, 2025, with each episode having a minimum length of 30 minutes. The award, which will be handed out at the Nikki Glaser-hosted show Jan. 11, recognizes “the quality, creativity, audience engagement and impact” of the podcast, per the Globes.

Many podcast experts were left scratching their heads since the Globes didn't use any categories for its long list and was a bit murky about what constituted a best podcast. Quality of production? Consistency? The stories being told? Raw numbers?

“It’s a good thing for the industry to get more recognition and getting recognition in a major award ceremony is awesome,” Hughes says. “I think that’s cool to see. But the way it’s done, of course, is a very blunt instrument.”

Controversy almost immediately ensued after the initial announcement when it was revealed that Luminate Data, an entertainment tracking and analytics company, would create the shortlist. Luminate belongs to Penske Media Corp., which owns the Globes. Then there’s the accompanying costs associated with traditional ad campaigns for the award in the pages of Variety and The Hollywood Reporter — also owned by Penske. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

While more digital-friendly awards shows like the Webby Awards, the Ambies, iHeartRadio and The Shorty Awards recognize podcasting, the Globes' move marks the first time podcasts have been included by a major awards show.

Hughes says that's a natural step as podcasting matures and starts attracting more corporate dollars. He hopes the Globes' spotlight will make podcasting accessible to more people.

“It’ll open up the door for more individuals and businesses that want to use the medium to tell interesting stories because it’s got a little more respect, a little more gravitas, a little more mainstream appeal,” he said.

Three of the six nominated titles came from SiriusXM, with the others from Amazon, Spotify and NPR. Robbins, a nominee for her self-help podcast, said in a statement that she was grateful.

“To be nominated for this award is surreal. It is also proof of a simple truth: It is never too late to change your life. Your age, your past, and your doubts do not determine what you can create next,” she said.

Bogardus marveled at how the podcasting industry has grown up in the past 25 years, moving beyond its origins in radio and giving hosts freedom that content creators in other media don't have: “Going into an award show now really shows that it has come into its own as a type of communication that people consume, which can be on par with television, with radio, with streaming, with internet videos, with social media.”

Associated Press reporter Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

For more coverage of the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, visit https://apnews.com/hub/golden-globe-awards.

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Ariz., on Sept. 21, 2025, left, and Megyn Kelly appears at the Time100 Gala in New York on April 24, 2025, (AP Photo)

This combination of images shows, from left, Alex Cooper, Amy Poehler, and Dax Shepard. (AP Photo)