FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons are among a select group of teams that get to begin work early this offseason.
Per NFL guidelines, clubs with a new head coach may begin offseason workout programs two weeks ahead of those with a returning staff. In phase one of the program, teams are permitted to conduct meetings in their facilities as well as workouts and physical rehabilitation overseen by the team's strength and conditioning staff.
"So much of the offseason program, as you guys know, is just building foundational knowledge," Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "That's scheme, that's the X's and O's, but that's also a foundational knowledge of our techniques, of our fundamentals. Foundational knowledge of our identity as an offense, as a defense, as special teams. So, I'd say a lot of the offseason program is about building a strong foundation."
It's been a busy offseason in Atlanta, filled with personnel changes and a robust free agency cycle. Now, Stefanski and his staff begin the process of setting the standard they will carry throughout the 2026 season.
This is not new for Stefanski, who was previously a head coach with the Cleveland Browns. However, his first turn at the head job came ahead of the 2020 season, and he did not get to implement his first offseason program amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the two-time NFL Coach of the Year can do so in Atlanta without any limitations or modifications.
"I think there's great benefits to being in a program where your coaches can coach you, where your teammates can be around you and can push you," Stefanski said. "We, over the course of this 10-week program, we want to cover a lot of ground. That's both schematically, but more importantly, it's from a physical strength and conditioning [standpoint].
"And then the part of becoming a football team, being around each other, understanding what we're about, understanding as coaches, what are the things that are going to be important to us?"
There are questions the coaching staff will need to sort through ahead of the 2026 season, such as who will be named the starting quarterback and how they will integrate the team's newcomers with the established veterans.
Although direct, on-field coaching and individual or team drills are not allowed during phase one, Stefanski believes there is a benefit to having everyone back under one roof. At this time of year, his advice to younger players is to observe the veterans who "have stuck around because they do the right thing."
Join us in welcoming the Atlanta Falcons back to Flowery Branch for offseason workouts.
Stefanski wants the culture in Atlanta to be player-led, so the emphasis will be on the individuals who comprise the roster to set the tone. That work begins now, months ahead of when the first opening kickoff takes place. Returning veteran captains, such as Jessie Bates III and Jake Matthews, will look to set the tone for this new group, but there are opportunities for others to assert their leadership. As the Falcons get into training camp, Stefanski plans to create a leadership council for the team, underscoring how vital the players are to the club's culture.
"If you have the right people in the locker room, and they're focused on the right things, and they're pushing each other, that's the culture that you're looking for," Stefanski said. "That really just, to me, speaks to player-driven accountability, a player-driven culture, a player-driven group that pushes their teammates to be the best versions of themselves. It's my job and our coaches' jobs to put together a structure, to put together a program. When it's player-driven, you've got a real chance."
Running back Bijan Robinson, whose fifth-year option was recently picked up by the team, was mentioned as an example of building that kind of culture because of how he approaches each day.
"I think this year, I'll be more vocal when it comes to the offensive guys," Robinson said. "I know a couple times last year I spoke in front of the offense when we were in those little lulls throughout the season, just to try to get everybody back on track. I'm going to make sure that I gain everybody's respect, first and foremost, especially the new guys, and then make sure that I implement all the things that I learned throughout the season for them."
During this voluntary period, cultivating that kind of mentality can mean as much as anything done in the weight room or classroom. With players and coaches back in the facility, the work of building up the Falcons' foundation has begun.
"Coaches are excited," Stefanski said. "They're doing a great job in the classroom right now. … We're very, very lucky to get to start two weeks early. We've got a jumpstart on everybody as a new staff, and we're going to take advantage of that."
