- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Team logos and player headshots via ESPN.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will face a familiar opponent Sunday when San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris returns to the city where he once led the team.
Morris, dismissed by the Falcons in January after consecutive eight-win seasons, has maintained a close bond with running back Bijan Robinson. Robinson spoke with Morris a few weeks ago and called him a "father figure." Morris repeatedly praised Robinson as the league's top player during their time together.
Penix said facing Morris will be exciting. Morris, meanwhile, expressed relief that the quarterback has recovered from the torn left ACL he suffered last November. The matchup arrives as Penix has shown sharp splits based on protection. Against Chicago last week, he posted the NFL's lowest efficiency mark when hurried, completing three of fifteen passes for seventeen yards and one touchdown. When kept clean, he ranks among the four best passers by the same metric.
The Bears brought pressure on 46.2 percent of Penix's dropbacks, recording five sacks and sending extra rushers on more than half of those attempts. Atlanta fell 31-23 and now sits at 2-4, in danger of a third straight defeat and an 0-4 home record.
Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will consult with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees about Morris's scheme. New head coach Kevin Stefanski cautioned against overthinking any advantage. San Francisco's defense ranks fourth in scoring allowed at 18.3 points per game and fifth in yardage at 300.
Source: ESPN - Sat Oct 24, 6:00 AM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).