Atlanta Falcons WR Ray-Ray McCloud Puts NFL on Notice with Bold Prediction

As is so often the case, when a young, gifted quarterback hits the starting lineup, it can seriously light a fire under a team. Of course, second-year signal caller Michael Penix Jr. is the walking and talking embodiment of the rebirth of the Atlanta Falcons.

The tsunami of optimism has made wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud chipper enough to declare that the biggest of big things are incoming with Penix leading the charge. 

"Boy, I'm excited, and I'm not going to be surprised by any of it," McCloud told ProFootballNetwork. "I've watched [Penix] every day for the last year at practice, and I'm just ready to see him go into an experienced year, a polished year, and see how it goes - go all the way to the Super Bowl."

McCloud's words may resonate a little stronger, considering he's climbed a Super Bowl mountain before with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Falcons haven't made the playoffs since 2017, so making a Super Bowl run classifies as a bold prediction by McCloud. Hearing McCloud talking up the Falcons’ Super Bowl chances is cathartic for the frustrated fan base.

If Penix can get on track early, the vast array of offensive weapons points toward some real point-scoring fireworks. Elite running back Bijan Robinson figures to grow more into the Zac Robinson-led system, and McCloud's fellow pass catchers, Drake London and Darnell Mooney, know how to get vertical.

McCloud was one of the surprise signings of the 2024 free agent class. General manager Terry Fontenot brought the return specialist in to help with special teams, and McCloud went out and had a career season as a slot receiver.

Coming into the year, he had 786 yards in six seasons with four different teams. Playing in his first season in Atlanta, he nearly doubled that total with 686 yards. 

He finds himself in what could be an interesting battle with Kyle Pitts for snaps. As the season progressed, Charlie Woerner took the majority of tight end snaps for the Falcons, and Ray-Ray McCloud got the lion’s share in the slot, leaving Pitts on the outside looking in.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Pitts took 48.6% of his snaps at slot receiver in 2023, and in his Pro Bowl rookie season, he had 67.7% of his snaps either in the slot or out wide. 

The Falcons finished No. 6 in total offense in 2025, and it’s easy to see them at least matching those numbers with a full season of Penix. The real variable in the Falcons’ playoff equation will be on the other side of the ball. 

The Falcons invested heavily in their defense with a new defensive coordinator in Jeff Ulbrich, a pair of first-round edge rushers, as well as drafted two defensive backs. 

A Super Bowl for this team might seem like a stretch, but there’s nothing wrong with McCloud aiming high for the Falcons in 2025.