Falcons WR Darnell Mooney’s Struggles Expose a Bigger Issue in Atlanta’s Offense

FLOWERY BRANCH, GA – The Atlanta Falcons have continued to struggle, but likely none more than wide receiver Darnell Mooney.

The veteran wideout is in the second year of this three-year contract with the Falcons, but has come nowhere close to the production from his first season in Atlanta. Mooney caught 64 passes for 992 yards and five touchdowns.

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Mooney proved to be a critical facet for this offense as their primary (and only) deep threat. According to NextGenState, he generated 763 receiving yards on downfield passes, tied for the 6th-most in the NFL.

In 2025, he has picked up just 13 receptions (35 targets) for 190 yards. Of the players who have run at least 200 routes, no one in the NFL has a lower catch rate than Mooney (37.1%).

After struggling with injuries all summer, he was able to return in Week 2 against the Vikings. He wouldn’t be healthy for long, and a hamstring would flare up in Week 4 against the Commanders. That soft-tissue injury would cost him another two games.

Mooney seems to be struggling to find his chemistry with Michael Penix Jr., but nothing hurt more than his late-game drop in Berlin. Falcons head coach Raheem Morris says that the lack of time spent with his quarterback has a significant impact on his issues.

“Whether it's a really good throw and a drop, or whether it's a bad throw and a miss off. You’ve got to make those things come together,” Morris said. “It's like, how do you get that stuff to happen? And the only way to do it is to practice and to go out there and do it together, and you’ve got to have that time to do it, and they'll be out there doing those things, and those are all the growing pains that we're going through right now.

“We’ve got to have all those things happen for us the right way. We want Mooney to go out there and be our deep threat. We want Mooney to be able to go out there and get balls in his hands, get some receptions, be able to catch and run, do some of the things he did for us in a special way last year. We’ve got to get those things going.”

The Falcons are relying on Mooney, but the production just has not been there this season.

In fact, aside from Drake London, none of the Falcons' wideouts have. London has 53 receptions for 691 yards and six touchdowns. The other wide receivers on this roster have combined for 31 receptions for 402 yards and no touchdowns.

“The connection with Drake has been outstanding,” Morris said. “Particularly over the last couple of weeks, and you want to look closer to that with Mooney.”

The team’s second-leading receiver is Bijan Robinson. Their third-leader is Kyle Pitts. Where are the wide receivers?

The third wideout coming into the season, Ray-Ray McCloud, is no longer with the team. Casey Washington has been a healthy scratch on occasion. David Sills V has been a non-factor.

All told, the Falcons have not been nearly good enough, especially for a second-year quarterback who needs support from his receivers.

Far too often, Penix will drop back and find nobody open downfield. The offense has struggled, and they have dropped football games. Until they get better play from their wide receivers like Mooney, those issues will continue.

The Falcons need their deep threat back, and there’s still time for him to find his groove. His chemistry with Michael Penix Jr. needs to develop quickly because that time is running out. Atlanta’s offense can’t survive it.