Atlanta Falcons OC Zac Robinson's Star is On the Rise

At just 38 years old, Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson already earned a Super Bowl ring as an assistant with the LA Rams. Now with one year under his belt as an offensive coordinator the pressure builds. The entire fate of the Falcons offense rests on his shoulders.

While that sounds like hyperbole, just think back to the difference Jimmy Lake made on the Falcons defense as the defensive coordinator. And remember Raheem Morris focuses on defense. As a result, the team relies on Robinson to not only scheme well on a weekly basis, but put his players in the best possible position to succeed.

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Acclaim

The Athletic's Jordan Rodrigue and Mike Jones listed their 50 difference makers under the age of 40 years old in the NFL. In a league where the good ole boys network still exists, the push towards younger professionals became the norm.

Robinson’s former boss Sean McVay helped start a run on younger assistants when he won the Super Bowl with the Rams at just 35-years old, his fifth season as the head coach.

The prevailing thought rests in the fact that youth bring innovation and a connection to the league which gets younger each season. Robinson made the list.

"Robinson was hand-selected by Falcons coach Raheem Morris for his attention to detail and work with quarterbacks and running backs in L.A. (Robinson helped revive Baker Mayfield’s career in his brief stint with the Rams in 2022, and worked with Matthew Stafford and Kyren Williams to overhaul the L.A. run game in 2023),” wrote Rodrigue and Jones on The Athletic.

“His challenge in 2024? Coach and scheme for two quarterbacks at once, as veteran Kirk Cousins physically declined and rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. ascended. The Falcons underwhelmed last season in part because Cousins hit a wall, but people around the league believe the future partnership between Robinson and Penix is very bright."

for a good rushing game you need a mobile QB or Ben Johnson or Liam Coen or....wait is that Zac Robinson cooking?

(or maybe Bijan is good) pic.twitter.com/EEbR7SCsTN
— Timo Riske (@PFF_Moo) December 31, 2024

Pressure

With the eyes of not only the franchise but general managers everywhere, Robinson begins 2025 with legitimate questions. Can he craft an excellent game plan that takes advantage of Michael Penix, Jr. and all of the weapons the Falcons have spent years of 1st-round draft picks acquiring?

Obviously Penix and Kirk Cousins do not approach the game in the same manner with similar skill sets. Instead, Penix's ability to throw the ball with velocity and vertical touch sets him apart. As a result, the game plan shifts from routes to flow and pacing.

Atlanta invested a first-round pick in Penix, and Robinson needs to make that union a complete success. Plus, on a personal level, if he aspires to accept a head coaching job, being an assistant to McVay doesn’t do enough to win any general manager over. He’ll need to prove it as a coordinator.

Overview

Zac Robinson leads the Atlanta Falcons on offense. He understands that team success is the best for his future prospects. If the Falcons turn into a juggernaut on offense in 2025, franchises will throw money and jobs in his direction as soon as the Falcons’ season ends. Depending on the record, maybe even the Falcons.

Meanwhile, if the offense fails, his career-track takes a massive step backwards, and he’s likely looking for a new job in 2025 rather than a promotion. The two parties need each other to win.