Kevin Stefanski - Head Coach, falcons Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-16 | Full transcript (primary source).
Kevin Stefanski, Head Coach of the Falcons, held a press conference on September 16, 2026, to discuss the upcoming home game against the Carolina Panthers, the reigning division champions. During the session, he addressed the challenges posed by the Panthers' strong offense and defense, while also providing updates on the team's quarterback situation.
Transcript
Stefanski: All right, excited to be at home this week versus Carolina, reigning division champs at our place. We're excited about that. I have a ton of respect for Coach Canales' entire coaching staff, that team's a good team. It's a sound team. They do a lot of things really well, you know, just getting the tape started on them this morning and with the players, just explaining to them how this team, you know, is the reigning champ, so what they do well, and it's a lot. We have a great challenge in front of us. As you look at their offense, obviously, I think a lot of their quarterback who can make every throw, they have receivers, multiple on the outside that can hurt you. It's a tough run attack, so there's all sorts of things that they give you issues, so it's our job to give our players a plan that they can execute. Defensively, the challenge is blocking them. First, I think they have a really good front. Secondary presents all sorts of challenges with good players, special teams, I think Tracy Smith does an outstanding job. So, work cut out for us, looking forward to the challenge. Take any questions you guys got.
Reporter: Do you have a QB yet for this week?
Stefanski: We will have a quarterback, yes, for this week. Not yet, but we'll work through that this week.
Reporter: What do you need to see between now and tomorrow to, you know, choose who you want there?
Stefanski: I'd say we're working through it. I'm not ruling anyone out. Tua's not going to practice today, but he's getting better. Cooper and Mike will practice today, so we'll work through it.
Reporter: Does that mean there's still a chance that Mike could play this weekend, or?
Stefanski: Yeah, I'm not trying to be coy. Just not ruling anybody out. Continue to work through it. We're all on the same page between myself, the medical team, Mike, we'll work through all those things.
Reporter: Why are you waiting? I guess, like, why? What's the difference, I guess, between today and tomorrow?
Stefanski: Practice, I mean, yeah, there's a lot that goes into getting ready for a game, so you have to go out to practice, see how you feel, those type of things.
Reporter: How low is Mike at practice? Is he doing well on a one and still? Is he doing it all, like, what does normal practice look like?
Stefanski: Cleared to practice, just like all the guys.
Reporter: So, is he repping with the ones, or what is...?
Stefanski: Yeah, not going to get into specifics, as you can imagine, with all of our rep plans, but continues to progress and is, you know, practicing.
Reporter: As you consider your options, knowing that you have a Thursday night game coming, how does that factor into this decision?
Stefanski: Yeah, for the quarterback decision, you're saying? You know, really, all these decisions, I'd call it day-to-day, guys, and you want to take in all the information you have available to you. Obviously, I understand we have a game Thursday night, and we have a game after that, but not going to really focus too much on that type of thing.
Reporter: Is it pretty much just, like, one day? Like, see practice today, decide tomorrow, or will you wait all the way up until Saturday?
Stefanski: Yeah, I think with any decision on the roster for your team, you have to be flexible. So, that could be, you know, you take all these decisions based on the information available, so we'll get through today and go from there.
Reporter: Has Mike told you all yet that he is ready to play?
Stefanski: He is ready to be part of the... Yeah, like, I think you guys talked to Mike, and Mike will, you know, explain what we're doing with the progression as he comes back, and I'm really, like I told you guys, I feel really good about the plan and where we are. I'm not going to get into specific conversations with our players, but Mike's progressing and doing a good job, but we'll see where it goes.
Reporter: So, how much do you say to your team? How much does this team, that's in front of you, the size of this team, that's in front of you? From here, last week, has it helped you play the previous-sized front last week?
Stefanski: Yeah, I think every week brings its own challenges, and this, like I mentioned, this is a big front. They can rush the passer. They can move you along the front with some of their line movement. They're just big and powerful. You know, I think Phillips is a really, really good rusher, an addition there on the edge. So, each week, I think, brings its own set of challenges, if you will, and this certainly presents a great challenge.
Reporter: You said you have to... The quarterback, is there value in making that decision earlier because so much of the game plan depends on who's going to be in there?
Stefanski: Well, I think we've talked about this, guys, and, yeah, of course, ideal world. I think everybody, every team, you'd love to know who's playing at every position. That's a no-brainer. I get that part, but we're going to be flexible and make sure that we're giving all of our guys the ability to go play and play well, but a decision like this and these type of things, you just have to work through them. It's truly day-to-day.
Reporter: What is it to change a game plan from Tua to Cooper or Michael to Cooper? I mean, when you do your install today, obviously, you're going to do different things with a different skill set. So, not knowing who's the starter, does that change your game plan?
Stefanski: I think there's countless examples of we've done it. Teams do it where you find out more information as a week goes on, guys are in and out of the lineup. Guys go in the lineup and then maybe out of the lineup after the first play. I mean, I've been a part of that, too, at different positions. So, our job as coaches is to be flexible and to make sure we have a system or a scheme where we can lean into different things.
Reporter: Who is healthy as team starter?
Stefanski: Again, I'm going to day-by-day here and make sure we get through today. And you say you're not ruling anyone out. Jack Strand is anyone. Is he also a factor?
Stefanski: Yeah, Jack is not being ruled out for this game.
Reporter: What is the decision?
Stefanski: I'm just going to talk to you something about naming Alaminé Zacchia, it's like the emergency quarterback. What's the...?
Stefanski: Yeah, it's week to week. I don't think any team is eager to get to their emergency quarterback, I would tell you. That's a part of the call sheet that you hope your eyes never get to. But typically, the guys I've been around over the years, it's a tight end, it's a wide receiver, it's a guy that you trust to get you in and out of the huddle, get the ball snapped. But not a lot of emergency quarterbacks that you're looking to get to.
Reporter: With all due respect, Ozi. Kevin, when you're trying to make improvements on things that didn't go well on the offense last week, if you have to make a quarterback change, does that, I mean, whether it's Mike or two who goes in and it's not Cooper, does that change how you evaluate the process of what you need to get better at?
Stefanski: Yeah, I think week to week, obviously we didn't win the game last week, we didn't play well enough on offense to win the game. And we have a ton of areas that we want to get better at as a staff, as players, and that's what really Monday was about, learning from a lot of those plays. And I think, to your point, I think every player, whether you're on the field or not, can learn from a given play on a Sunday. So you're getting the mental rep on a play and even though you weren't out there, I think you can get better via that. So depending on who's in there, I think we get better because we've identified things, we want to correct things, but it's our job now to go back out here on the practice field to work it and understand that this season, you're trying to make improvements really week to week over the course of the entire season.
Reporter: Is Cooper fully healthy right now?
Stefanski: He's still getting treatment on his back. I couldn't say he's 100%, but not many guys, I guess, are 100% coming out of week one.
Reporter: With Cooper, will he be a full participant in the practice today?
Stefanski: He will be a full participant, yes.
Reporter: There's a belief, I think, that you can damage a developing quarterback by putting them in too soon. Is that part of your decision-making on Jack Strand in terms of we would rather not put him in now because we don't think he's ready? Is that accurate?
Stefanski: Yeah, I'm not going to... Here's what I would say. With every player, I'm trying to make decisions that put them in the best position to succeed. And certainly quarterback position. That should be obvious. Very, very pleased with where Cooper is developmentally. I think he's come a long way since he got here. He's worked very, very hard. Jack fits in great in the meeting room. So, but pass that. I wouldn't add much color, if you will.
Reporter: Are you frustrated about the quarterback position or it's just kind of like Cleveland Part II at this point?
Stefanski: No, truly, you know, NFL, this is just you deal with injuries. You deal with uncertainty. And I think as a team, we want to be able to win and play well regardless of who's in, who's not in, what's available to us in a given game. So, there's frustration comes with losing. Frustration comes with falling short. But we're excited about the opportunity we have in front of us.
Reporter: Kevin, what's the value of losing?
Stefanski: Sure. You sweat your seat. I think it goes back to, you know, you're worth your salt as a coach, if you're coaching all your guys and not just the guy who's on the film at a given time or on the practice field at a given time. So, I think there were so many lessons learned on our special teams, on our defense, on our offense throughout that game. Little things where, you know, there's a lot of good on there and you certainly point that out and you praise that and you praise that type of behavior and then you want more of that. But the things that we feel like we can do better, let's point them out. Let's get better, whether you were out there or not.
Reporter: Cooper, you know, didn't play well Sunday. It ends up being him again. Are there things that give you confidence that if he has to play, he can be better next week?
Stefanski: Yes. Yeah, I do. Coops, a veteran, I think, like any player, there's plays you want back, but also understand that with more reps, with more, you know, turns, comes experience and comes confidence.
Reporter: I think 17 of them were then five yards line of scrimmage. How much of that was him not being able to try to push it? How much of that was the way you were played? What do you think into that?
Stefanski: I think every game takes on a, I guess you call the game based on what's in front of you. And I think there were opportunities in there certainly to push the ball down the field, but also they did a nice job of rushing the passer. They did a nice job in a lot of their coverages. So that's really where the ball went, where the ball went. There were batted balls in there as well. So I think it's really based on what the defense is presenting to you from a Russian coverage perspective.
Reporter: The usage rate for Bajon last game, is that sustainable for a 17-game season?
Stefanski: Yeah, I mean, it really goes back to what's necessary for a given game. Do I think he's going to touch it 29 times each game? I don't know. I think he wants to, he's told me. But I think it's also our job to, as an offense, I think you want to make yourself difficult to defend. And Bajon by himself is difficult to defend. But when you add in other great players and you can move the ball around and spread the ball around the offense, I think that can only make him great. So while it may take away from those 29 touches in week one, I think it can make you even harder to defend in a way.
Reporter: A couple more?
Stefanski: I believe it was those games. I expressed the desire to have the player-led culture here in Atlanta. We spoke to Darius on Monday. It seems like he is also well in line with your thought process about that. Have you seen the player-led culture piece kind of develop so far here? And then what is the Darius frame in particular for that?
Stefanski: Yeah, Zee's made a huge impact on and off the field for us in his short time. Brings a ton of energy into the locker room. I think Zee's a great example of what I've told you guys is through that authenticity in leadership. And he's just being himself. And I think his teammates feed off of who he is as himself. So he's not trying to be anything different. He's not trying to be something that he's not. He's just a guy that, as you all see, and I've seen over the years, just loves to play and loves to be a part of a team. So I appreciate that about him. Now, in some ways, that's leadership without trying real hard. It's just being yourself. And I think there's great examples of that. And then I think guys like Zee and veterans on this team can make an impact throughout the season. When a teammate needs to be picked up or a teammate needs to be pushed, I think guys like Zee who have been around the block and have seen a bunch of things, that they have a built-in equity, if you will, to lead. And I think Zee will not hesitate to be that person.
Reporter: Last one. For Michael Penix's timeline to return, is it more that you guys are trying to see things as a coaching staff for him to kind of clear and do before you can put him in the game? Is it medical trying to see things, or is it more you're just waiting to hear from him about what he wants to do?
Stefanski: I think all of us on the coaching staff, on the medical staff, all of our players, Mike in this case, want to always do what's best for our players. And I feel really, really confident in the plan going back to when I first got here and how Mike was working off the field and working in the training room. And I think what you've seen is a progression of all that. So I feel confident that as he progresses and gets ready, we'll let you guys know. But a big part of that is practice, and then practice the next day and those type of things. So we'll continue to take this day to day and I'll make decisions that are best for the football team. Thanks, guys.
