Five Keys to the Atlanta Falcons Making the Playoffs in 2026

The Atlanta Falcons are ushering in a new era in 2026. Kevin Stefanski has officially taken over as head coach, while Ian Cunningham has taken over as general manager. Together, they will look to get the Falcons back into the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

“The cupboard isn’t bare,” Cunningham said. “We have talented players here, and I'm looking forward to being a part of adding talent to this roster to help Kevin [Stefanski] and our staff consistently compete for championships.”

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Talent is not a major issue for the Falcons. The franchise feels it is close to contending for the playoffs, but for a team that has not tasted a winning record in eight years, a Super Bowl still feels very far away.

Now that Super Bowl LX has come and gone, the NFL can look ahead to what figures to be an exciting offseason of change for the Falcons. What would it take for the Falcons to take that great step forward next season?

Double Down On Defensive Success From 2025

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is brought down by Atlanta Falcons edge James Pearce Jr. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The defensive unit was solid in 2025. Despite being littered with rookies, expiring contracts, and key injuries, the Falcons put forward a strong season. Atlanta finished in the top half of the NFL in total defense and passing defense, while being in the top 20 in scoring and expected points added (EPA) allowed per play.

Their performance is why Jeff Ulbrich was retained with the new coaching staff under Kevin Stefanski.

The young core they have in place is good, but one critical lesson from the playoff field is that investment has to continue coming. The Broncos, Patriots, Seahawks, Rams, Eagles, and Texans all featured waves of pass rushers and stout rush defenses. Eight of the top 10 scoring defenses made the playoffs, while the Seahawks (No. 1) and the Patriots (No. 4) reached the Super Bowl. Nine of the top 13 rush defenses made the playoffs.

The Seahawks and Patriots were both in the top five of free agency spending last offseason. These two teams spent tens of millions on additions to their front-seven, like Milton Williams ($104 million), Harold Landry ($43.5 million), Robert Spillane ($33 million), and DeMarcus Lawrence ($32.5 million).

Investing in the success of the young defense could help the Falcons take the next step in 2026.

Get Some Weapons at Wide Receiver

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London makes a catch for a touchdown against New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The wide receiver position feels like the most glaring need for the Falcons this offseason after they struggled with depth throughout the year.

Ray-Ray McCloud was released in October for off-field issues, while Darnell Mooney struggled with injuries that limited his production. Drake London was the only consistent presence, but when he missed games, their deficiency here was truly felt.

The star wideout finished his season with 68 receptions for 919 yards and seven touchdowns over just 12 games. All other wide receivers on the roster combined for 75 receptions, 892 yards, and three touchdowns. Without him, they struggled to create separation, and the offense would suffer.

Explosive play margin is the single-most important stat in the NFL, and the Falcons need to address their ability to create explosive offense. They finished 22nd in the NFL and will need some major improvements at wideout if they want to reach their goals next season.

Figure out the quarterback position

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Speaking of explosive offense, no variable matters more in the explosive equation than the quarterback.

Michael Penix Jr. is coming off a knee injury that cost him the second half of his 2025 season, and could bring parts of his 2026 season into question. There is already going to be a learning curve for Penix with a new coaching staff, but the injury makes that even steeper. That new head coach, Kevin Stefanski, has already raved about his new quarterback’s arm talent.

“I’m just excited about the physical gifts,” Stefanski explained. “What's most important right now for Michael is to get healthy. He knows that, and we'll get to football here shortly, but he's attacking his rehab. I think you see a player on tape that can get through progressions, can layer the ball, and can push the ball to all areas of the field.”

Penix provided a positive update on his rehab last Wednesday, but the Falcons will likely sign at least one veteran to join the team as he recovers.

If the Falcons want to reach the playoffs, much less compete for a Super Bowl, one of those players has to take a major leap forward next season.

Figure Out Special Teams

Atlanta Falcons place kicker Younghoe Koo reacts after missing a field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

One of the least-talked-about aspects of winning football teams is the effectiveness of their special teams unit. Seattle finished with the NFL’s best unit (in terms of expected points added), while the Patriots also finished in the NFL’s top half. The Falcons, meanwhile, finished 29th in the NFL.

Too often, the Falcons lost games last season because of glaring weaknesses in their kicking game and in their porous kick/punt coverage. Their deficiencies here cost them wins.

The Falcons hired Craig Aukerman to take over its special teams unit. He was previously with the Miami Dolphins, and produced a strong kicking game (93.1% conversion rate, 4th in the NFL), blocked two field goals, and finished around the middle of the league in terms of return yardage.

Kicker Zane Gonzalez and punter Bradley Pinion are also set to be free agents, but there are several other options on the market. In the return game, Devin Duvernay and Rashid Shaheed are a pair of elite players who could help the Falcons right away.

However they do it, the Falcons have to make a good investment here and find some consistency in special teams.

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With the changes to kickoff rules, fields are shorter. Effective return games are rewarded more, while poor punting/kicking/coverage is punished more. The Falcons have to get better here.

Stay Healthy

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. injury against the San Francisco 49ers | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Health is usually a given for any team that wants to play in the playoffs, but after the injuries the Falcons took in 2025, it feels worth putting out there.

Kaleb McGary, Darnell Mooney, Storm Norton, Michael Penix Jr., A.J. Terrell Jr., Drake London, Matthew Bergeron, Divine Deablo, Zach Harrison, Jalon Walker, Troy Andersen, Billy Bowman, and Mike Hughes. Injuries are a part of playing football, but these are prominent players who missed time.

All 32 teams are hoping for health, but the Falcons will be hoping to have anything better than this in 2026.