ATLANTA -- The Falcons have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs for nearly a month, but the team won four straight games down the stretch, including Sunday's 19-17 victory over the rival New Orleans Saints here at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Falcons safety Jessie Bates III, a team captain, said there was a reason for the late surge: The team was playing with the hopes that head coach Raheem Morris would return.
"I'm behind Rah," Bates said. "He hasn't changed throughout this whole year. He's the same guy every single day and we went to bat for him for a reason. We finished this season for a reason for each other, for coaches, players, everybody involved. That's what you do it for. You don't want to see nobody lose their job. And we do this stuff together."
Star wide receiver Drake London took his answer a step further.
"I want Rah back with all my heart," London said.
Morris seemed to be on the hot seat after the Falcons started 3-7 this season. He said in his postgame news conference that the NFL is a business and those decisions "will be made at the proper time" by owner Arthur Blank.
"My expectation is always to be back," Morris said. "And then I'm going to coach this football team as long as he allows."
The Falcons have missed the playoffs the last eight seasons. Atlanta players also gave their endorsement of a return by general manager Terry Fontenot in the locker room Sunday.
Atlanta finished the season on a four-game winning streak and a winner of five of its last seven games. The Falcons will finish at 8-9, in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC South with the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Panthers won the division and will head to the playoffs courtesy of tiebreakers.
Morris was hired in January 2024 after Arthur Smith was dismissed following three straight 7-10 finishes. Morris' two seasons have been slightly better: back-to-back seasons of 8-9.
"I'm gonna support Raheem no matter what," running back Bijan Robinson said. "So, I love him as a big brother, father figure, coach, everything, and just go from there."
The Falcons have been on somewhat of a quarterback rollercoaster during Morris' tenure. They signed Kirk Cousins to a $100 million guaranteed contract in the 2024 offseason and then drafted Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall just a few weeks later.
Cousins had success last season, leading the Falcons to a 6-3 record. But then he got hurt and went on a stretch with nine interceptions and one touchdown over five games. Cousins was benched in favor of Penix moving forward. Penix started this season until going down with a torn left ACL in Week 11.
After Cousins took over again as starter this season, the Falcons went 5-2. It left the Falcons wondering what could have been if not for missed field goals, muffed punts and missed extra points earlier this season.
"I think every week we are close [to winning], but ... [Morris] doesn't lose the locker room," running back Tyler Allgeier said. "I think that's the biggest question that I guess that you guys would try to portray. But yeah, he hasn't lost the locker room. I think it's shown going 4-0 at the end of the season."
