Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons announced Friday they've received clearance to reopen their team facilities under "supplemental intensive protocols" ahead of Sunday's Week 6 road game against the Minnesota Vikings.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the clash with the Vikings remains "on track" after no positive COVID-19 results during Atlanta's latest round of testing.

The Falcons worked virtually Thursday after one positive test in the organization.

Atlanta is preparing for its first game under interim head coach Raheem Morris, who was promoted from defensive coordinator after Dan Quinn was fired as head coach following the team's 0-5 started punctuated by a 23-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Carolina also entered the league's more intensive coronavirus protocols after determining six of its players came in direct contract with Atlanta defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, who has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, per Alaina Getzenberg of the Charlotte Observer.

Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network noted Wednesday there's been no evidence to date of player-to-player transmission of the coronavirus during a game.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday that "flexibility is going to be critical" in order to complete the regular season after multiple postponements.

"We cannot grow complacent—not the players, not of the coaches, not the rest of personnel," Goodell told reporters. "Ninety percent is not good enough in this environment."

His comments came after the league's first wide-scale COVID-19 outbreak among a team. The Tennessee Titans returned to play Tuesday after more than two weeks, and there were smaller clusters of positive tests from the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots.

So far, the league has been able to reschedule games without needing to create an extra week at the end of the regular season, but that could become more difficult once teams' bye weeks have passed.

The Falcons and Vikings are slated for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Vaughn McClure, who covered the Atlanta Falcons for ESPN, died this week at his home near Atlanta, the company confirmed Thursday. 

The Falcons shared a statement on McClure's death:

pic.twitter.com/UVPFjgBZBw

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) October 15, 2020

A number of colleagues and peers mourned the 48-year-old:

Really sad to hear the news earlier today that my ESPN NFL Nation teammate and friend Vaughn McClure passed away. Vaughn was an awesome guy. So many times I can remember him reaching out to me to make sure I was all good. Rest in power my guy. You will absolutely be missed.

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) October 15, 2020

I’m stunned and saddened by the passing of Vaughn McClure. He was always friendly. Always a gentleman. Always a professional. Condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 15, 2020

For those who weren’t lucky enough to meet Vaughn McClure or have the privilege to call him a friend, I want to at least share with you how I’ll remember him. Rest in paradise, my brother. Until we meet again... pic.twitter.com/O3BkWMn0A6

— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) October 15, 2020

Vaughn McClure was my friend. That's how he made me feel. He was warm and kind to me always. He reached out with tips to try and help me professionally, telling me: "You're my guy." I know he did the same for many. Thank you for the many blessings, good sir. Rest in peace.

— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) October 15, 2020

Deeply saddened to hear the news about the passing of my friend Vaughn McClure.

A friend for nearly 2 decades. Just heard from him the other week, telling me how proud he was of me.

My response. I’m just trying to be like you V.

Rest In Peace brother.

— jordan cornette (@jordancornette) October 15, 2020

Losing Vaughn McClure hurts. I met Vaughn years ago when he covered the #Bears and we both lived in Chicago, then enjoyed bumping into him in Atlanta from time to time. A special guy. Always upbeat, always asking how you were, always easy to smile or laugh. He'll be missed. #RIP

— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) October 15, 2020

John Pluym, ESPN's senior deputy editor for digital NFL coverage, shared his experiences with McClure.

"We all loved Vaughn," Pluym said. "He had a heart of gold. He was so helpful to our reporters. In the last few hours, we've heard so many stories about how Vaughn had helped them with a story or how he put in a good word for them with a coach or player."

McClure began working with ESPN in 2013, a tenure that included the Falcons' first NFC championship since 1998. Atlanta lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

Prior to that, McClure worked with the Chicago Tribune and covered the Chicago Bears and Chicago Bulls. Upon graduating from Northern Illinois in 1994, he first started working for the Daily Chronicle in DeKalb, Illinois, eventually moving on to the South Bend Tribune, Fresno Bee and Chicago Sun-Times.

The Atlanta Falcons are shutting down their team facilities after receiving a positive COVID-19 test result Thursday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter noted the team's Week 6 game against the Minnesota Vikings scheduled for Sunday is now in "jeopardy."

"Still working through details, can tell you we're not at four confirmed," an unnamed team official told Schefter, who'd reported there were four positive test results.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported it was a Falcons assistant coach who tested positive and said the team plans to return to the facility tomorrow if there are no more issues.

The Falcons released a statement that confirmed one new positive test:

"Out of an abundance of caution following one new positive test, we have made the decision to stop all in-person work at IBM Performance Field Thursday and will conduct all operations virtually. This decision was made in consultation with the NFL and medical officials. The health and safety of our team is our highest priority."

The NFL recently dealt with its first widespread coronavirus outbreak involving the Tennessee Titans, who returned from a layoff that lasted over two weeks and caused several schedule changes to defeat the Buffalo Bills in a battle of undefeated teams Tuesday night.

In addition, the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots have also dealt with smaller clusters of positive tests in recent weeks. Two of the Pats' most important players, quarterback Cam Newton and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

The Falcons haven't come in contact with any of those teams during their 0-5 start.

Atlanta suffered a 23-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday, and Carolina announced Wednesday it entered the NFL's more stringent "intensive COVID-19 protocol" after the Falcons placed defensive tackle Marlon Davidson on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Carolina determined six of its players made direct contact with Davidson, leading to the change in protocol even though it hadn't recorded any new positive tests as of Wednesday, per Alaina Getzenberg of the Charlotte Observer. Three Panthers players spent time on the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier in the year.

The Falcons and Vikings both have their bye weeks still available, which makes a potential schedule change easier to navigate should Sunday's game be postponed. Bigger problems could arise for the NFL later in the year when teams have used their bye and thus can't move games around so freely.

Aside from a full postponement, games have also been delayed by a day or two to keep them within the same league week while awaiting a few rounds of negative test results before playing.

The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Dan Quinn on Sunday after they started the season 0-5, and he released a letter Wednesday in which he thanked the Falcons and the city of Atlanta for his time with the organization.

"How fortunate am I that I close this chapter the very same way I opened it—with gratitude," Quinn said in the letter, which was addressed to the city of Atlanta and posted to the team's Twitter account.

"Being the Head Coach of your Atlanta Falcons has been the privilege of a lifetime. I can't express my appreciation enough to Arthur Blank for the opportunity to represent this organization for the past six seasons. It truly has been my family."

A letter from Dan Quinn to the city of Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/2QSoHtbDxI

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) October 14, 2020

In five-and-a-half seasons in Atlanta, Quinn amassed a 43-42 record. The Falcons peaked with an 11-5 mark in 2016 and made it to Super Bowl LI, where they lost to the New England Patriots in overtime, 34-28. Atlanta has finished 7-9 the last two years, and its winless start this season is the team's worst since 1997.

The Atlanta Falcons will be getting a new head coach and a new general manager, and they may end up with a new quarterback.

Team owner Arthur Blank said Monday that he would not be making—or preventing—changes under center, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

"I love Matt, much like I love Dan [Quinn] and I love Thomas [Dimitroff]. Matt has been a franchise leader for us. A great quarterback. One of the leading quarterbacks in the last 13 years in the NFL. So, I hope he's going to be a part of our plans going forward, but that will be a decision that I won't make."

Ryan, who is the only player in Falcons history to be named the NFL MVP, has three more seasons remaining on the five-year extension he signed in May 2018 and is owed a total of $74.75 million through the rest of his contract. The 35-year-old, in his 13th season, told PFT PM in July that he wants to play until he is at least 43. But Blank said Monday he doesn't know if that will happen in Atlanta.

"Matt has the ability to play at a high level even at this age, whether if that is going to continue or not, I'm not sure," Blank said. "I appreciate his willingness to consider doing that and the level that he's played for us, for 13 years, which has been incredible. So, I will....we'll have to see."

With the second pick in the upcoming NFL draft, the Falcons, who have produced 7-9 seasons in 2018 and 2019 after a Super Bowl run in 2016 and a playoff appearance in 2017, have the possibility to select Ryan's replacement in star college quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields or Trey Lance. Ryan has contributed to the Falcons' 0-5 start with 129-of-204 passing (63.2 completion percentage) and seven touchdowns, with 11 sacks and three picks.

"That's going to have be a decision, at the end of the day, part of it will be up to player and part of it will be up to the (new) coaching staff," Blank said. "Whether or not Matt can keep himself together and God willing, he'll be able to do that and play at the level he's capable of playing at."

Raheem Morris might be fighting a losing battle to get the interim tag removed after he replaced Dan Quinn as the Atlanta Falcons' head coach.

"If Raheem ends up 11-0, then he'll certainly be a candidate," Falcons owner Arthur Blank told reporters when asked about whether Morris will be a candidate when the team starts a full coaching search.

Promoting an interim coach based on how a team finishes the season can be somewhat risky.

The phrase "new manager bump" is a common cliche in soccer and refers to how a team can occasionally perform better shortly after a managerial change. More often than not, the team is regressing to the mean rather than showing meaningful improvement.

The Falcons will probably look better under Morris because they can't get much worse than they are now amid an 0-5 start. The offense in particular will start trending upward in the event Julio Jones can shake his nagging hamstring injury.

Having said all of that, the optics of what Blank said aren't very good when the number of minority head coaches has been a persistent issue in the NFL. In May, the league approved of measures to strengthen the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates.

The worst part about Arthur Blank's comment are the undertones and what it implies. Makes that comment even more ridiculous.

— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) October 12, 2020

Morris is the sixth minority head coach in the NFL right now. Romeo Crennel was the fifth when the Houston Texans made him Bill O'Brien's interim replacement.

Blank probably didn't intend any level of malice with his comment, and he might have been implying that a complete teardown of the front office and coaching staff is imminent.

General manager Thomas Dimitroff was fired along with Quinn, and Blank was surprisingly noncommittal about franchise quarterback Matt Ryan, who's due to count for almost $41 million against the salary cap in 2021.

Arthur Blank was asked if Matt Ryan is the QB of the future. Blank went on with his accolades and then said "I hope he will be in our plans moving forward" but noted he won't be the one making that decision. He still thinks Ryan can play at a high level.

— Jason Butt (@JasonHButt) October 12, 2020

Still, Blank's dismissive attitude toward Morris sends a bad message all around. It makes it feel as though whatever Morris does is totally futile in the event he has aspirations of being Quinn's permanent replacement, and it doesn't speak positively to Morris should he be on the radar of other teams looking for a new head coach.

Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will become the team's interim coach after Dan Quinn was fired Sunday, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.

Quinn was fired as the team's head coach after the Falcons' 0-5 start along with general manager Thomas Dimitroff.

Morris has head coaching experience after spending three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, producing a 17-31 record from 2009-11. He led the squad to a 10-6 record behind quarterback Josh Freeman in 2010 but fell short of the playoffs.

Morris is in his sixth season with the Falcons, spending time on both sides of the ball. He was an assistant head coach, receivers coach and passing game coordinator for the last three years before becoming a defensive coordinator this season.

The defense has struggled in 2020—currently ranked 30th in points allowed and 31st in yards allowed—but Morris will hope to turn things around in his new role.

Atlanta had failed to live up to expectations since reaching the Super Bowl after the 2016 season, going just 24-24 over the next three years combined. The squad has seemed to bottom out in 2020 with five straight losses to begin the season, blowing 20-point leads in two of the games.

"Our finish in 2019 earned an opportunity to show that momentum could be continued and built upon, but that has clearly not happened," owner Arthur Blank said in a statement.

The 44-year-old Morris will try to turn things around and potentially prove he deserves another full-time role leading a team.

Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter could have been another option for the Falcons, also with three years of head coaching experience with the Buccaneers, but the team will move forward with Morris at the helm.

The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff on Sunday after a 23-16 defeat to the Carolina Panthers dropped them to 0-5 to start the 2020 NFL season.

BREAKING NEWS: General Manager Thomas Dimitroff and Head Coach Dan Quinn have been relieved of their duties, effective immediately.

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) October 12, 2020

Falcons owner Arthur Blank discussed the decisions in a statement:

"Decisions like these are very difficult, but the previous two seasons and start to this one have been especially hard for me because of the deep love, admiration and respect I and my family have for Dan, Thomas and their families. For many years, they have represented me, our team, organization and Atlanta with class, commitment and all the passion you would want in the leaders of the team.

"Our finish in 2019 earned an opportunity to show that momentum could be continued and built upon, but that has clearly not happened. And overall, the last 3-plus seasons have fallen short of my commitment to Atlanta and to our fans everywhere. I want them all to know that my commitment to winning has not wavered and I will continue to provide every resource possible to that end."

According to Albert Breer of Monday Morning Quarterback, Falcons President Rich McKay will oversee day-to-day football operations for the remainder of the season. The team will reportedly announce an interim head coach Monday, with defensive coordinator Raheem Morris a "strong candidate," per Breer.

Vaughn McClure of ESPN noted offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich are also candidates for the job.

Shortly after the game, The Athletic's Jeff Schultz reported Quinn was on his way out, with a formal announcement likely coming within a matter of days. Owner Arthur Blank, however, initially declined to comment on Quinn's job security.

"When we have something to say, I'll say it," Blank told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday.

The Falcons didn't wait much longer, however, to part ways with Quinn.

Whenever the team owner has to make a public commitment for the season ahead, the head coach is almost always on borrowed time. Once the Falcons blew 20- and 16-point leads in consecutive weeks, a coaching change was inevitable.

Some within the fanbase will argue Quinn's ouster was overdue.

To some extent, Quinn has yet to fully escape the embarrassment of throwing away a 28-3 lead in the second half of Super Bowl LI. The sting of that loss will continue to linger until the moment the Falcons lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the first time.

The franchise's steadily diminishing returns are what did Quinn in, though. Immediately after that Super Bowl run, Atlanta won 10 games but finished third in the NFC South in 2017 before back-to-back seven-win seasons.

Nothing is more emblematic of the Falcons' slide than their offense. The Falcons averaged the second-most yards in 2016 and ranked first in offensive efficiency, per Football Outsiders.

Atlanta Falcons offensive rank:

2016: 1st
2017: 7th
2018: 6th
2019: 10th
2020: 23rd pic.twitter.com/7DItSjVsHK

— PFF (@PFF) October 11, 2020

Julio Jones has been hobbled by a hamstring injury, but Atlanta still has Matt Ryan, Calvin Ridley and Todd Gurley. There's no reason the unit should be in the bottom half of the league, and it's a problem that has persisted well before 2020.

Falcons final WR snap count
Olamide Zaccheaus 53
Russell Gage 47
Calvin Ridley 46
Christian Blake 18
Julio Jones 15

— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) October 6, 2020

Dimitroff's exit comes after he spent more than a decade with the organization, as he was hired as GM in January 2008. When Dimitroff took over, the team was coming off a 4-12 performance and a last-place finish in the NFC South. While drafting Ryan No. 3 overall with his first-ever pick in 2008, Dimitroff pieced together a roster that immediately won 11 games and reached the postseason.

The Falcons made the playoffs six times during Dimitroff's stint, reaching the NFC Championship Game in the 2012 season and the Super Bowl four years later. Despite coming close with Super Bowl LI, Dimitroff was not able to deliver a Lombardi Trophy.

Quinn and Dimitroff's tenures ran their courses, and moving on from that regime is an acknowledgment this will be a lost season.

Dan Quinn's time in Atlanta is all but over.

Jeff Schultz of The Athletic reported Sunday after the team fell to 0-5 on the season following a 23-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers that the "firing of Quinn has been all but finalized, and an announcement could come Monday or Tuesday."

Falcons owner Arthur Blank declined to comment on Quinn's job status Sunday night.

"When we have something to say, I'll say it," Blank told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

If fired, the 50-year-old Quinn would finish his Falcons' tenure with a 43-42 regular-season record and a 3-2 playoff mark.

Quinn started his Atlanta stint on a high note, leading his team to an 8-8 mark in 2015 before reaching the Super Bowl the following year.

Atlanta looked all but certain to take home its first Lombardi Trophy after building a 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots, but the Pats scored 31 unanswered points to win 34-28 in overtime.

From there, the Falcons went into a slow decline.

Atlanta got back into the playoffs the following season after going 10-6 in the regular season, but it fell to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round, 15-10.

The bottom fell out in 2018 and 2019, though, with the team going 7-9 in consecutive seasons.

The Falcons had a multitude of injuries on the defensive side of the ball in 2018, with linebacker Deion Jones and safeties Ricardo Allen and Keanu Neal notably missing significant time.

But last season put Quinn squarely on the hot seat.

Atlanta came out flat, losing four of its first six games by two touchdowns or more and sitting at 1-7 halfway through the year.

However, a strong finish to the season that included a 29-22 road win over the eventual NFC champion San Francisco 49ers saved his job. Atlanta went 6-2 in the second half.

In December, Blank announced that Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff would be returning for 2020.

However, the Falcons have not improved in 2020. Atlanta's ugly start to the season included a 38-25 home loss to the Seattle Seahawks, a 20-0 blown lead en route to a 40-39 road defeat to the Dallas Cowboys and a 26-10 evaporated edge prior to a 30-26 home loss to the Chicago Bears.

Quinn shouldn't wait long for a coaching job. He's a proven defensive coordinator and should land somewhere when spots open up in the offseason.

As for the Atlanta gig, whoever takes over certainly has offensive talent to work with, including superstar wideout Julio Jones. However, the defense may be in need of an overhaul after continuing to struggle.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones will miss Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers after reaggravating his hamstring injury.  

Jones went down in last week's loss to the Green Bay Packers.

This has been an injury-riddled season for the seven-time Pro Bowler, as he missed one game already with the hamstring issue. Jones has also not been nearly as effective this season, compiling 15 receptions for 213 yards and zero touchdowns through the first four weeks. 

"When you have soft-tissue, it's like a day-to-day thing," Jones told reporters in Week 4. "You just really gotta feel it out. So you don't know. You're really uncertain with it."

The Falcons are one of the NFL's most disappointing teams for the second straight season, and any absence from Jones makes turning things around an even unlikelier scenario.

Calvin Ridley will bump up to the WR1 spot on the depth chart, and Russell Gage will slot in as the second wideout. Olamide Zaccheaus could also see a role increase.