WR coach out, offensive coach moves to the field to help Penix Jr.
Sep 22, 2025
Photo by Brian Allen
The Falcons, still smarting from a stinging loss to divisional opponent Carolina Panthers Sunday, made changes to and for its offensive coaching staff roughly 24 hours after the 30-0 shutout.
Wide receiver coach Ike Hilliard was relieved from his duties today, while current passing game coordinator T. J. Yates will take over Hilliard’s duties. Yates has been with the Falcons since 2021 as a passing game specialist (2021), wide receivers coach (2022-23), and quarterbacks coach last year.
This is in addition to another overhaul to the team’s offensive operations. Zac Robinson, the Falcons’ offensive coordinator, will leave the booth upstairs in Mercedes-Benz Stadium to call plays from the sidelines. Robinson has been criticized for the rusty performance of the team’s offensive line against the Panthers.
Coach Raheem Morris said moving Robinson closer to the action would improve communication between him and quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
“We’ll move Zac down to the field,” said Morris. “to be able to get a little cleaner communication for him, to be able to get it to [Penix Jr.] if something does happen along those lines, to be able to be more visual and see the quarterback and be able to do some of those different things to have him have a clear line of communication with Mike, to be able to help him out a lttle bit more.”
Earlier this afternoon, Falcons coach Morris spoke to the media as the team was coming under intense criticism from fans and commentators over their performance during the Week 3 game, namely Penix Jr’s readiness, sloppy offense and special teams plays, and new kicker Parker Romo’s double field goal miss.
The key points today…
- Morris said the Falcons and Penix Jr. didn’t play well enough as a team. Penix Jr. however, has taken “solid accountability” for his issues as QB.
- He answered questions about the quality of the team’s practice sessions the week before. He said that although they practiced well, the practices did not translate to the game itself. “It was really our energy, it really was our execution,” he said.
- Penix Jr.’s performance was “uncharacteristic”, according to Morris. “[He] was definitely not his normal, happy, competitive self.”
- Morris plans to bring in other kickers for workouts in response to Romo’s issues. “We got to bring competition in,” he said. The competition will continue until the right kicker is found.
- Morris says Darnell Mooney is “100% healthy” but reminds that the WR missed all of training camp. He had two dropped balls last Sunday.
- The team released cornerback C.J. Henderson from it’s practice squad.
- No new injury issues.
