Kevin Stefanski: Falcons are not 'punting' on the season

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Kevin Stefanski: Falcons are not 'punting' on the season

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Chase Irle | Last updated Nov 9, 2026 2:42 PM ET

The Falcons are in a very odd spot. They are 3-6 following two straight embarrassing losses to the Buccaneers and Bengals, yet they are still just a half-game out of first place in the NFC South.

That made them a curious team to watch with the trade deadline approaching, and they made their stance clear, sending Jessie Bates III to the Jaguars for a 2027 second-round selection and a 2028 fifth-round pick.

The loss of Bates severely hinders Atlanta’s chances of breaking a playoff drought dating back to the 2017 season. However, despite the trade, Kevin Stefanski attempted to assure fans that the Falcons aren’t punting on the season. Their goal remains to win the NFC South.

Stefanski: Our fans are smart enough to know in no way, shape, or form would we punt on this season. We have three wins, just like every other team in our division. #Falcons

— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) November 9, 2026

Stefanski is the head coach, and his only job is to win football games, no matter the roster provided to him. Atlanta is right there with an opportunity to win the division, and that should be his sole focus.

It’s the front office — led by Matt Ryan and Ian Cunningham — whose job is to worry about the present and the future. They understand this team is not a legitimate contender, which is why they cashed in on Jessie Bates III at the right time. Getting a second- and a fifth-round pick for a near-30-year-old safety who will be a free agent at season’s end is a steal.

We’ll know a bit more about how they feel over the next 24 hours leading up to the trade deadline. It’s possible the Bates deal was just too good to pass up, or we could see the Falcons completely focus on the future by dealing away some other significant pieces.

Either way, Stefanski’s job doesn’t change. It doesn’t look like it will take much for Atlanta to win the division, and no matter who they trade away, they still have enough talent to get to 7-8 wins, which could be all it takes to get back to the playoffs, as unbelievable as that sounds.

This article first appeared on SportsTalkATL and was syndicated with permission.

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