Former Falcons head coach returns to Atlanta on 10-game win streak

The Atlanta Falcons are 2-4 through the first six weeks of the 2026 NFL season, and things will only get tougher with the undefeated San Francisco 49ers coming to town in Week 7. Sunday's game will be former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris' first time facing Atlanta since he was fired at the end of the 2025 season.

Morris went 16-18 during his two seasons as head coach (2024-2025), and while he certainly made his share of mistakes, it's fair to say he left the team in better condition than he found it. The Falcons defense made considerable progress under Morris, even if Jeff Ulbrich gets most of the credit for the turnaround.

Atlanta ended the season on a four-game winning streak, which included a Monday night upset over the Los Angeles Rams. However, this winning streak wasn't enough to save Morris' job, despite finishing in a three-way tie for the NFC South at 8-9.

After failing to land one of the nine other head-coach openings around the league, Morris reunited with his old pal Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. The 49ers made Morris their new defensive coordinator and have yet to lose a game since bringing him on (6-0).

And while Shanahan's offense is thriving as always, Morris' defense currently ranks No. 3 in DVOA going into Week 7. As the Falcons appear to be on their way to a ninth-straight losing season, it's a nice reminder that Morris has technically won 10 games in a row if you go back to his time with Atlanta.

The Falcons might have some trouble slowing down the 49ers' front seven this week, especially considering what the Chicago Bears did to them in Week 6. Michael Penix Jr. was outstanding late in the game, but he was far less effective when he was being pressured in the first three quarters.

Will Morris get revenge against his former team, or will the Falcons have something to say about it? We'll find out this weekend in Atlanta. Sunday's game starts at 1 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.