The phones began ringing inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 4, 2026, just after the final whistle blew during the Falcons’ 19–17 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Following the game, head coach Raheem Morris informed reporters that he anticipated returning for a third season. He misinterpreted the circumstances. Arthur Blank, the owner, had already decided. The squad had just defeated the Saints to complete the season on a four-game winning streak when Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot were fired a few hours later. It was a strangely moving gesture. Win the last game you played. Even so, lose your job.
Fontenot joined the Falcons organization in January 2021 after leaving the New Orleans Saints, where he had worked his way up from marketing intern to assistant general manager and vice president of pro personnel over the course of 18 years. As the first Black general manager in Atlanta’s history, he brought with him a reputation for astute talent evaluation that had been developed over almost 20 years in one of the NFL’s better-run front offices. When he arrived, the Falcons were struggling financially—cap-strapped and rebuilding—and by most accounts, he put in a lot of work during those early years, guiding the team through a salary cap mess and managing the end of the Matt Ryan era, which had defined the team for more than ten years.
Key Information: Terry Fontenot
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Terry Houston Fontenot |
| Born | December 16, 1980 — Lake Charles, Louisiana |
| College | Tulane University (safety, 1999–2002) |
| NFL Career (exec) | New Orleans Saints (2003–2020), Atlanta Falcons (2021–2025) |
| Role at Saints | VP and Assistant GM of Pro Personnel |
| Hired by Falcons | January 19, 2021 |
| Fired by Falcons | January 4–5, 2026 |
| Tenure Record | 37–48, zero playoff appearances |
| Contract Length | 6 years (signed 2021, through 2027) |
| Estimated Annual Salary | $1 million – $7 million (NFL GM range; exact figure undisclosed) |
| Contract Status After Firing | Still owed remaining year (2026–27) |
| NFL Fine (2024) | $50,000 — violation of anti-tampering policy (Kirk Cousins signing) |
| Key Draft (2025) | James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker led NFL rookies in sacks; Xavier Watts led rookies with 5 INTs |
| Historical Note | First Black general manager in Falcons history |
As is typical with NFL executive contracts, Terry Fontenot’s actual pay was never disclosed. General managers can make anywhere from $1 million at the bottom of the league to $7 million at the top. Fontenot was probably paid somewhere in the higher half of that range rather than the bottom given his experience—18 years at the Saints, ending in a senior front-office post. Regardless of who takes over in Atlanta in the future, the Falcons now owe him whatever is left on his six-year contract, which ran until 2027, covering at least the next year or so. It is costly to fire a GM in the middle of a contract. In this instance, it is also evidently the choice the owners felt compelled to make.
The main story is told in the record. Under Fontenot’s direction, the Falcons finished 37-48 over five seasons and never advanced to the postseason. One of the NFL’s longest active droughts, Atlanta hasn’t seen postseason football since 2017. During Fontenot’s tenure, the squad had two head coach changes: from Arthur Smith (three straight 7–10 seasons) to Raheem Morris. With five different starting quarterbacks in five years—Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, Taylor Heinicke, Kirk Cousins, and Michael Penix Jr.—none of whom remained, the quarterback position was even more tumultuous. Many people believe that Fontenot’s inability to resolve that issue was the pivotal failure of his Atlanta tenure.
Because it captures how the term was ultimately characterized by audacious attempts that never quite worked out, the Kirk Cousins choice merits special consideration. Cousins, a 36-year-old quarterback recovering from an Achilles tear, was given a significant commitment when Atlanta signed him to a four-year contract worth at least $100 million guaranteed in the 2024 offseason. Six weeks later, the Falcons selected Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., an obvious future starter, with the eighth overall pick in the same draft. The league, the locker room, and the fan base were all confused by the decision to sign a veteran for enormous guaranteed money and then choose his replacement in the first round. Penix takes over after Cousins had a respectable start to the 2024 season. Penix suffered an ACL tear in Week 11 of 2025, and the team never fully recovered. More than anything else, Fontenot’s tenure was characterized by the series of quarterback decisions.
Looking back on five years of this, it seems like Fontenot was frequently making the correct kind of actions in the wrong order or committing to directions only to reverse them as they started to gain traction. The 2025 draft class was quite impressive; Fontenot should be commended for selecting two rookie pass rushers who led the NFL in sacks. Even yet, the club had a 4-9 start until winning four games in a row too late to matter. Atlanta lost the division to Carolina on tiebreakers despite finishing in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC South. That was the type of tenure. The talent was present in fragments. The parts never come together at the appropriate time. After five seasons, Arthur Blank concluded that the pattern would not alter on its own. He made a polite remark. What hurts is that Atlanta is still writing Fontenot a check.
