After losing 30-0 to the Carolina Panthers in Week 3, the Atlanta Falcons decided to shake things up on offense, parting ways with wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard. Thus far, the move has seemed to make a big difference, but it was not the last major move made by the Falcons to help fix their wide receiver room
Following Hilliard’s firing, Atlanta has rattled off two impressive wins against the Washington Commanders and the Buffalo Bills in the past two weeks after its bye week in Week 4.
Interestingly, Hilliard’s firing has also directly coincided with a decrease in opportunities given to veteran wide receiver Ray Ray McCloud, who was listed as a healthy scratch for the team’s Week 6 game against the Bills.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris declared after Week 6 that McCloud, who operated as the team’s No. 3 wide receiver to start the season, would be back on the field in Week 7. However, that plan has seemingly since changed.
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On Friday, Morris revealed that McCloud has not only been deemed a healthy inactive again in Week 7, but has also been sent home away from the team in what has been deemed a “private matter” between McCloud and the team, according to ESPN Falcons beat reporter Marc Raimondi.
Additionally, Morris sent a rather cryptic message about McCloud’s future in Atlanta, saying that he didn’t know when or if McCloud would be back with the team.
Morris further shared more insight into the situation, calling it a “football thing” that the team is attempting to get “straightened out” with McCloud and not a disciplinary action.
“This is between Ray-Ray, the organization and us,” Morris said. “I wouldn’t say it is a disciplinary thing. More a football thing with something we have to get straightened out.”
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Whatever the reason behind McCloud being sent home truly is, it is certainly surprising to see a player with a clear role in offense to begin the season lose that spot so drastically just seven weeks into the year.
Fortunately for Falcons fans, McCloud’s absence hasn’t exactly been missed thus far, as quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had one of his best games of the season last week without McCloud, throwing for 250 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers.
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