The Atlanta Falcons have not made any changes to their coaching staff but they could be coming soon. There’s been speculation that the team could make a change at defensive coordinator following Sunday’s 44-38 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Head coach Raheem Morris was asked if the Falcons planned to retain defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake in 2025 during his Monday press conference but didn’t give a definitive answer.
“We got to evaluate all of our coaches. We got to evaluate all of our players,” said Morris. “That’s the process that happens now. There will never be anything that’s the same in the National Football League.”
Atlanta’s defense gave up 24.9 points and 345.2 yards per game this season, ranking 23rd in the NFL in both categories.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris was asked whether defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake will be retained in 2025: “We got to evaluate all of our coaches. We got to evaluate all of our players. … That’s the process that happens now. There will never be anything that’s the same in the…
— Terrin Waack (@TerrinWaack) January 6, 2025
Lake, 48, has a wealth of coaching experience at the NFL and college level. Before serving one year as the assistant head coach of the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, he spent eight years at the University of Washington where he worked his way up from defensive backs coach to the head coach.
The Falcons defense had made some progress over the second half of the season but played arguably its worst football over the final two games.
The team had no answer for Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in Week 17 before giving up 44 points to Bryce Young and the Panthers in Sunday’s finale.